Good Works

Today’s Gospel Text: "You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trodden under foot by men.

14 "You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hid. 15 Nor do men light a lamp and put it under a bushel, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven. Matt 5:13-16

Reflection: One of the most difficult things to do is to be a witness to the great light Jesus Christ.

But what is worse is that people make what is difficult, impossible.

Indeed we have been called to be the light of the world and salt of the earth.  The quality if these agents are not just that of getting mixed well in the things that they get mixed in but they pervade well the things that they are in and bring about a great change without changing their original quality.

They are almost freely available and humbly permeate without changing the external quality of things but instead make those things better by their action.

The moment one hears the above exhortation of Jesus then everybody wants to jump on the bandwagon of being the light of the world and salt of the earth.

This is not a message for every listener but a message spoken specifically to the dedicated disciples of Christ.

There are indeed to be the salt and light by first drawing from the great light and salt, Jesus Christ.

What then are the good works that men may see in them and give glory to God.

Primarily, the good work would be that which flows from our union with the God and proclaiming that in ones deed lest men give glory to stones or individuals for the good that they do.

Jesus worked in union with the Father and not apart from his Father and the good works he performed included the mighty signs and wonder he did, through this union, which invited people to give glory to God.

They heard his divine wisdom and they saw the signs which a mere human can’t perform and yet can be performed by those who follow him with trust and confidence.

Thus we look at deeds or good works not from a narrow point of view, as meaning only the good character of a person, but includes everything a person does in union with God the Father, through Jesus Christ our savior.

Thus deeds or good works include; the effective words that flow from our mouth on account of his divine inspiration, the mighty signs and wonders, our trust and confidence in God, especially when faced with trying moments and finally it may include our good character seen in our humility and gentleness.

Prayer:  Lord, I thank you for revealing to me that it is not in merely accepting your proclamation that I become the Light of the world or the salt of the earth but by my union with you through faith and trust.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Resurrection Offer

Scripture/Bible:  And when the sabbath was past, Mary Mag'dalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salo'me, bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week they went to the tomb when the sun had risen. 3 And they were saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the door of the tomb?" 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone was rolled back; - it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe; and they were amazed. 6 And he said to them, "Do not be amazed; you seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen, he is not here; see the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him, as he told you." Mark 16:1-7

Reflection:  Who said that the early to bed and early to rise are wise? Look at these women who got up early in the morning to go and anoint Jesus.  Their preparation seemed complete for after all they only had to get spices to anoint Jesus.  

Before setting out they should have bothered to resolve the problem of the big stone, at the mouth of the tomb, which was an obstacle to anoint the body of Jesus.  How foolish they were!

Often in life we too go about life preparing for everything and yet the most important matters of life may have escaped our gaze while arriving at our destination.

If our preparation has been earnest and we have made every effort with love in our hearts for him whom we are called to serve, then even the biggest obstacles in no problem. Our God in the resurrection of his Son Jesus has moved the stone away for us.

Hence every encounter sought with Jesus does not condemn us of the lack of  necessary preparation we need to make but instead it brings us to a realization that whatever our necessary preparation, effort and love, is just a miniscule contribution in comparison to God’s contribution; that God has poured out his bounty out of love for us and in order to save us.


If he could move that heaviest of stone, will he not move away the darkness of our life and make his resurrection light shine in our difficult situation with hope. 

By not recognizing it and seeking to force enter the tomb by our efforts through methods and techniques we are rejecting God's offer of salvation, which is also is free gift and what is more we are entering the tomb of death rather than the tomb of resurrection. 

This is a reality which we can experience by daily encountering the living God who lives with us and is with us through his resurrected spirit. 

Prayer: “My heart exults in the Lord; my strength is exalted in the Lord.” (1 Sam 2:1) Thank you Lord God my Savior.  

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us