Salt and light

Tomorrow's gospel lesson has two of my favorite Jesus 'sayings': "You are the salt of the earth....You are the light of the world."

Salt and light are what we are called to be.

How cool is that? Salt and Light....

They are remarkable things to emulate. Challenging things to lean into being in this world.

I know dietitians give salt a bad name--but it is a truly remarkable substance.

Salt heals. Who hasn't gargled salt water or sniffed it up their nose? And when I'm at the beach, in the ocean, my feet become soft again and my skin becomes moist.

Salt preserves. Fish and meat can be kept for long periods without refrigeration if treated with salt. And a brine can keep vegetables and eggs and other things eatable for much longer than normal.

Salt flavors and seasons. It adds a tang and brings out and enhances the flavor of things. I eat a little salt on cantaloupe. Try it sometimes...or on green apples.

Salt melts ice. Very important here in New England. What good salt does in our winters.

Salt is in ocean water, tears and blood.

To be salt is to heal, preserve, flavor and melt the frozen-ness of our world.

And light--what can't be said of light?

Light lets us see, illuminates the darkness, warms the chill, drives out fear, brings the new day and travels faster than anything else in the universe!

Big requests from Jesus, for us to be Salt and Light.

And we must seek to be in this frightened, damaged, dark-ling, cold world.

Heal, preserve, flavor, illuminate, warm, drive out fear.

It's our call--our purpose...who we are meant to be.....