When we were baptized as Christians, we became children of God and belong to God’s Kingdom. As such we were given responsibilities in our lives.
We cannot be true Christians if our actions and dealings, works and interactions, words, and all that we do are not aligned with the path and the way of life that the Lord has shown us.
Otherwise, if we do not do, say or act as how we profess our belief in God to be, then we are no better than hypocrites, and we may even cause scandal for our faith and besmirch the Holy Name of God.
That is the problem now — many claim to be Christians but their words and actions say otherwise.
They are not sincere in their dealings and interactions with the people around them. For example, on social media, a group of women ignores the messages of an old man because they do not like him, but every time they see him these women greet the old man.
As Christians, we are expected to be good, committed, faithful, and active servants and followers of God. We are reminded by the Gospel to actively live our lives with faith, practicing what we believe in with sincerity and devotion at all times.
In our first reading today, taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, we hear of the Lord speaking to His people and calling upon them to do what is right and just, as He has taught and shown them through His many messengers and prophets.
The Lord wants us to live worthy of Him by showing love to one another and showing compassion, mercy, and justice by being role models through our exemplary lives.
We are challenged by the Gospel to put God first, at the center of our lives and existence, to truly dedicate ourselves to the service of God, and to do what He has told us to do. By so doing we are truly living our lives worthy of the Lord.
In the Gospel, Jesus tells us that we are the Salt of the Earth, the Light of the World. Why? Jesus is reminding us that if we lose our usefulness, we are nothing and pointless. He wants us to be a source of inspiration, hope, and assurance, in times of darkness. That we have to live a life that is meaningful, virtuous, righteous, good, and just, and a life filled with the virtues and righteousness of God, with Christian values and goodness. This is the calling and the mission every one of us has in this life.
Brothers and sisters in Christ, this Sunday, our Lord is reminding us to see to it that our words and actions become great sources of inspiration and good examples for others to follow, just like the salt of the earth and the light of the world. God has provided every one of us with so many distinct and unique gifts, talents, abilities, blessings, and opportunities, giving us many chances to make good use of them for everyone’s benefit and the greater glory of God. Now the question is, are we willing to embrace God’s call and are we willing to follow Him and walk in His path, faithfully and with conviction?
Let us, therefore, help one another to remain firm in faith and to be ever-active in reaching out to our fellow men and women, in our respective communities and in whatever areas we can contribute. Let us no longer be ignorant of the many opportunities and chances that God has provided us in being able to live up to our Christian mission and calling.