From the Friars: The Salt of the Earth

When a person has a conversion experience and they become a disciple of Jesus, they realize that they must change their life. They must reject sin and strive to do good according to God’s Commandments. Part of the Christian’s obligation is to avoid occasions of sin, not only keeping away from wrongdoing itself but also whatever might lead them to sin. This could be a person or a place or particular circumstance which are dangerous in themselves, or at least for that individual. Many have sadly relapsed into their former sinful life because they did not avoid occasions of sin.

Jesus tells his disciples today that we are the salt of the earth. (Mt 5:13) Salt does two things, it preserves and it seasons or adds flavor. Salt preserves food by drawing moisture out of it. Bacteria that cause food poisoning need water to survive. Salt also kills many microorganisms that can cause disease. Occasions of sin are like moisture in food, they provide an environment for the bacteria of sin to flourish. Also, the fact that a person is now choosing to sin no more and to do good, he is killing the spiritual disease that was infecting him.

As an example to illustrate our analogy, let us imagine a man who is getting drunk regularly. His addiction is causing serious problems in his family and with his job. After a powerful encounter with Jesus, he is determined to change his life, especially to quit drinking. This means no more going to the bar with his buddies, ridding his home of alcoholic beverages, and avoiding temptation in general. His faith is drying up the opportunities for sin to drag him down. And prayer, the Sacraments, works of charity and striving for virtue are all putting to death his many other vices and offenses. A man who once was doing much harm, and putting innocent people in danger, is now rebuilding a healthy family and society.

He has become like salt, allowing those around him to “taste and see that the LORD is Good.” (Psalm 34:8)

Let us not let the salt go flat. God bless you.

— Fr. Peter