Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time [A]
February 9, 2020
Matthew 5:13-16
Reading carefully, we may wonder, “Is it possible if salt loses it,
saltiness?” In everyday experience, we never experience tasteless salt.
However, when we go back to the time of Jesus, we will be surprised that a salt
losing its taste is a daily reality. In ancient Israel, the people would go to
the Dead Sea, the saltiest body of water on earth, and gathered the “pillar of
salt” formed surrounding the lake. Then, they would put inside a small bag,
like a tea bag”, and when it was needed for seasoning, the bag would be dipped
into the water or soup. After some repeated use, the salt would lose its
saltiness due to the chemical impurities. It turned to be nothing but an
ordinary pebble, and shall be thrown away and trampled underfoot.
Salt is potent seasoning, but because of its small quantity, we hardly
notice it. When I was still in the minor seminary, one of our Lenten
observances was to eat our meals cooked without salt. The taste was totally
awful. I forced myself to swallow the food, but it just made me feel terrible
and feel like vomiting. I never thought that food without salt could hardly be
edible.
For many of us, salt is just nothing but seasoning that we can add if
lacking, or we only complain to the cooks if the menu is too salty. Yet, for
some people, salt literally means life and death. From time to time, we have
experienced diarrhea or a loose bowel movement. The sickness itself is easily
treatable, but if left untreated, it can be deadly as it causes people to
severe dehydration. One of the traditional ways to treat it is “oralit” or oral
rehydration solution. It involves drinking the right quantity of water with
added sugar and salt. How tiny salt saves people’s lives!
Yet, salt is seasoning and not the real menu. One cannot survive just
salt alone. Too much salt in our body will lead to higher blood pressure, and
high blood pressure can be fatal to many human organs. Jesus calls us “salt”
because we are called to give an excellent flavor to the Bread of Life. When I
was still studying in Manila, I was introduced to one of the favorite
breakfasts of the Filipinos, “pan de sal.” It is Spanish for the bread of salt
because a small amount of salt was added into the final phase of making the
dough. The shape of the bread is simple, yet tasty, and make people crave more.
Like salt in Pan de Sal, our mission as Christians is to bring Jesus to
others and to make people to long for Jesus more. It is a tough job because our
lives and actions shall be right, not too salty, and not to bland. The more we
draw attention to ourselves, the more people will just feel “too salty.” Yet,
without making our effort, Christ will appear as rather “bland.”
Every time we go to the Mass, we receive the Body of Christ in the form
of white, small, and tasteless bread, a host. Why is it flavorless? Because as
we go home, we need to become the taste of this Bread of life. So, it is no
longer we, but Christ who lives in us (see Gal 2:20).
Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP
