The treasures of today's readings

These are just a few of the many wonderful points for us to reflect on:


The Gospel reminds us that to be a Christian in this world is to be distinctive... to stand out. We are to be “the salt of the earth… the light of the world.”


The First Reading hits us in the head with the reminder that our relationship with God is inextricably connected with our relationship with others.

The standard is high indeed.

Do we want

• Our wounds to be healed?
• Our souls protected from evil?
• Our prayers to be heard?
• Our path to be clear?
• Our spirits to be lifted?

Then we must

• Share our bread with the hungry,
• Provide refuge for the oppressed
• Provide shelter for the homeless;
• Clothe those who have no clothes
• Not turn our back on our own.
• Heal the afflicted
• Eliminate oppression from our midst
• Eliminate false accusation from our midst
• Eliminate malicious speech from our midst

Are we doing that? (I know that I still fall short – very short.)


And finally we have the example set for us by St. Paul in today’s Epistle.

Is this how you and I approach people with the truth of Christ?

When I came to you, brothers and sisters,
proclaiming the mystery of God,
I did not come with sublimity of words or of wisdom.

For I resolved
to know nothing while I was with you
except Jesus Christ, and him crucified.

I came to you in weakness
and fear and much trembling,
and my message and my proclamation
were not with persuasive words of wisdom,
but with a demonstration of Spirit and power,
so that your faith might rest not on human wisdom
but on the power of God.