5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A

On this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, following the proclamation of the Beatitudes, Our Lord uses two striking metaphors to describe the mission of the faithful: salt and light. These are not merely pleasant adjectives but serious charges regarding our duty toward the world and the preservation of the Faith.

To be the “salt of the earth” is to be an agent of preservation and flavour. Just as salt prevents corruption, the Christian is called to preserve society from the moral decay of sin. Furthermore, salt loses its purpose if it loses its “savour”. For the Catholic, this savour is sanctifying grace. If we allow ourselves to be leavened by the spirit of the world—compromising on truth or falling into lukewarmness—we become “good for nothing” but to be trodden underfoot. This is a sobering warning against secularism and the loss of our distinct Christian identity.

Jesus then speaks of the “light of the world”. A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden; neither can the Truth of the Gospel. This light is not our own, but the light of Christ reflected in us through good works and steadfast witness. We are commanded not to hide this light under a “bushel”—the bushel of fear, social pressure, or false modesty.

Our “good works” are not for our own vainglory, but so that men may “glorify your Father who is in heaven”. As we live out our vocations, our lives should be a constant, visible act of adoration that points others toward the Church and the glory of God.