February 7: Preparing to Celebrate Sunday’s Mass / Preparándonos para Celebrar la Misa Dominical

As we can see all too clearly these days, tyranny and oppression still flourish in many places in our world (including here at home). Unfairness, injustice, and inequality often stare us right in the face. These frequently take the form of long-term poverty, unemployment, lack of access to health care, warrantless arrests, and the ever-present homelessness in our community. In the midst of all of this, Christ invites us to solidarity with people in need. Be sure to read Matthew 5, 13-16 before coming to Mass this weekend.

Then ask, how seriously do we take the Lord’s challenge to be “salt of the earth?” How seriously do we take His challenge to “shine some light” in our world? These two metaphors have something vital in common. If the salt stays in the shaker, it doesn’t do its proper work. Only when it is added to and dissolves in food can it give flavor to (and preserve) what we eat. The same thing happens with light. If it stays closed up and hidden away, it cannot enlighten anyone. Only when light shines out in the dark can it illuminate and guide. Again, without salt, everything is bland and at risk of spoiling. Without sunlight, our world would stay dark and gloomy. Jesus calls us to so much more.

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If you doubt that your impact on your world is important, take this quiz before coming to Mass this weekend: 1. Name the five wealthiest people in the world. 2. Name the last five Heisman trophy winners. 3. Name the last five winners of the Miss America Pageant. Do you know all these answers? Probably not. Now ask yourself some additional questions: 1. What was the name of your 1st grade teacher? 2. Who is the first friend you would call in an emergency? 3. For whom do you pray each day? You do know the answers to these questions. Those people are the salt of the earth and the light of the world ... and you are the same for others.

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Las Escrituras de la Misa del domingo nos van a recordar que sólo Cristo es capaz de alumbrar, con Luz verdadera, las sombras que se ciernen sobre la humanidad. Sólo Cristo, a través de pequeñas lámparas que somos los creyentes comprometidos por su Reino, es capaz de ofrecer sabor de eternidad y de felicidad a tantos hombres y mujeres que, en el horizonte de sus vidas, no ven sino fracaso, hastío o cansancio. ¿Seremos valientes para abrir el salero de nuestra vida católica allá donde se están cocinando los destinos de nuestra sociedad? ¿Por qué –frecuentemente – preferimos pasar desapercibidos sin dar color católico a tantas situaciones que reclaman nuestra opinión o presencia activa como seguidores de Cristo?

Esta lámpara de la fe no debe nunca ocultarse, sino que debe colocarse siempre sobre el candelero de la Iglesia, para la salvación de muchos. Así podremos alegrarnos con la luz de la Verdad y todos podrán ser iluminados. 

Dios, nuestro Padre común, no se cansa de recordarnos lo único que Él quiere de nosotros: que nos portemos como hermanos y hermanas y para que el mundo comprenda que nuestra fe es verdadera. Seamos cada uno lucecita en el pequeño ambiente en que nos movemos. Seamos luz de cariño y amor. No importa que esa luz sea pequeña. Hagamos nacer cada uno nuestra luz y el mundo entero será “luz de mediodía.”