Gospel of the Day – Matthew 5:13–16
Jesus said to his disciples:
“You are the salt of the earth.
But if salt loses its taste, with what can it be seasoned?
It is no longer good for anything
but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.
You are the light of the world.
A city set on a mountain cannot be hidden.
Nor do they light a lamp and then put it under a bushel basket;
it is set on a lampstand,
where it gives light to all in the house.
Just so, your light must shine before others,
that they may see your good deeds
and glorify your heavenly Father.”
Be Light
Today we live in a world full of contradictions, where everyone wants to show outward beauty, yet we are ashamed to reveal the beauty within. We do not mind exposing our bodies, but we are often incapable of uncovering even a small part of our soul.
These words of Jesus invite us to do the exact opposite: to give glory to God by making His Love visible through our small gestures and ordinary daily actions, by being light… and what better way to be light than by showing the beauty and greatness of our marriage?
There is no need to do anything extraordinary. Through our simple daily witness and small signs of affection — walking hand in hand down the street, a loving glance, a hug, a kiss… speaking of “marriage” when there is a sacrament and not merely of a “partner” — all these little acts give glory to God because they gradually fill this world with light.
Applied to Married Life
(Antonio is shopping at the greengrocer’s.)
Antonio: Good morning! Would you be so kind as to give me a quarter of a kilo of strawberries? But please choose the very best and the most beautiful ones!
Greengrocer: Of course. I received a fresh delivery this morning and they look absolutely wonderful. Are they for today?
Antonio: Yes, I need to prepare a dessert for my wife, so they must be the very best. María Lourdes loves strawberries and I want to surprise her.
Greengrocer: It is lovely to see a husband care so much for his wife. Nowadays that is not very common.
Antonio: I try… My wife is a gift from the Lord, the greatest treasure I have, and that is why I take such good care of her!
Greengrocer: You have really made me think, and you are absolutely right. Tonight I will prepare something special for my husband as well. It has been a long time since I last had a thoughtful detail for him.
Mother,
May we be a witness of light in this world of darkness.
Glory be to the Lord!