Reflection

Last Sunday’s Gospel commissions us to be ‘salt of the earth’ and ‘light to the world’. But of far more interest is the very practical way the first reading from the prophet Isaiah gives us to fulfill this commission:

Share your bread with the hungry

Shelter the homeless poor

Clothe the person you see to be naked

Do not abandon your family

Do away with the yoke, the clenched fist, the wicked word.

Psalm 111 then continued this challenging yet life-giving list:

Be generous, merciful and just

Take pity and lend

Conduct your affairs with honour

Be open handed and give to the poor.

No-one can argue that Christianity doesn’t have a specific, unambiguous moral imperative. In fact, in Matthew’s Gospel (Chapter 25), Jesus even makes these the criteria for entry into God’s eternal kingdom.

We pray this week that we may be open to the needs of those around us and selfless in our response.

Amen

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