07/02/2026
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A few thoughts about today’s readings:
Seminarian Ronald Kofi
There's actually one little strand that holds the first reading of this Sunday and the gospel together. That is the theme of light. In the first reading, in vv. 8 and 10 the theme of light is visited - namely the promise that light will break forth or arise as a consequence of the good works that are done towards the weak in society.
What is the significance of light? There are two sources of the understanding of light, closely related. The first is from Gn 1. Light is the first thing that God creates, it is the sign of God's presence, the proof of Divine manifestation. It is the sign that he is going to overcome the primordial chaos which preceded creation. Light is that which precedes every good action. Without light, there can be no good deed. In other words, without the presence of God there can be no goodness.
The second significance of light arises within the context of the Exodus event. It is to be remembered that the whole exodus event is a nightly celebration.
The whole intervention of God in bringing Israel out of Egypt took place in the night. The manifestation of God who saves Israel takes place in a pillar of fire.
> 21 And the LORD was going before them in a pilar of cond by day to kead them on the agy, and in a pillar of fire by night to give them light, that they might travel by day and by night. 22 He did not take away the pillar of cloud by day, nor the pillar of fire by night, from before the people."
(Ex 13:21-22)
Thenceforth, any event that speaks of oppression is couched in the language of darkness. The action of God who delivers is spoken of with images of light.
Now if we read the first reading closely, we begin to understand what the prophet is talking about. Indeed, the reading Is 58:7-10 is part of a longer discourse which begins in 58:1. Israel is making a complaint that God is not intervening in her life even though she is fasting. What is actually going on? Why is Israel fasting?
The issue is that Israel is seeking to "ritually" afflict herself in order to attract God's attention. Because we know that in the book of Exodus, God hears the cries of Israel and comes to her assistance.
> 24 "So God heard their groaning; and God remembered His covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. 25 And God saw the sons of Israel, and God took notice of them."
(Ex 2:24-25)
What Israel's fast is supposed to do is to ritually create those conditions that make God react to her plight.
But the interesting thing is God's eyes are not on the person who is afflicting himself by fasting. His eyes are on the person who is really hungry.
> 10 "And if you give yourself to the hungry, and satisfy the desire of the afflicted, then your light will rise in darkness, and your gloom will become like midday."
(Is 58:10)
In fact, twice in this short passage, the hungry are mentioned. Then again, the yoke is mentioned in v. 9 another symbol of oppression. Light will only shine in Israel if she begins to deal with the real problems of affliction in her midst. This is where the responsorial psalm comes in. It is taken from Ps 112. The psalm speaks about the just man, who generously gives to the poor and explicitly states that his light will arise in darkness. What is interesting about the psalm is that it follows Ps 111 which speaks about God doing these same things for Israel. The just man is the person who has learnt from God's actions in the Exodus and has begun to apply them to the benefit of the weak.
That is where we come to the Gospel. Two things are noticeable here. First, the two statements you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world are interesting. A lot of ink has been spilt especially on the meaning of salt of the earth. Actually, the term "GÊ" could also mean land. In fact, just a few verses preceding, we read "blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth (or rather the land). I think land is actually the underlying sense. The earth is not of interest to Israel. It is the "land", which was promised to Abraham as an inheritance - the Promised Land.
So, it is the same idea in v. 13. Jesus focus is that his disciples are first and foremost salt to the land! That is salt to their own people! To Israel. Remember Matthew's Gospel is a gospel written to Jews. The first responsibility of the witness is to witness to those at home. This becomes clear in Matthew's Gospel.
> 5 These twelve Jesus sent out after instructing them, saying, "Do not go in the way of the Gentiles, and do not enter any city of the Samaritans; 6 but rather go to the lost sheep of the bouse of Israel. 7 "And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand!' 8 "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons; freely you received, freely give.
(Mt 10:5-8)
Charity must begin at home! If salt loses its taste, if the gospel loses its attractiveness at home, how do you expect those outside to accept it? Only after being salt to the land does Jesus ask that they become light to the world! A city set on the hill will never be hidden.
The movement of the Gospel must be from Israel to the world.
> 19 "Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit"
(Mt 28:19)
That is the paradigm. But even after Jesus invites his disciples to be light of the world, he makes a very interesting remark. He says:
> 15 "Nor do men light a lamp, and put it under the peck-measure, but on the lampstand; and it gives light to all who are in the house.
(Mt 5:15)
Even in speaking of being the light of the world, he still focuses attention on the light which must shine "to all in the house". The term "house" is the term which is used often in the Old Testament in the phrase
"house of Israel". Again, we should be light of the world, but we must not forget that our light must shine
"in the house" and even more "to all" without discrimination in that house.
If that is the case, we have a trend in our readings. The emphasis of the light shining, whether in the first reading or the Gospel, is the light that shines "AD INTRA". That light must shine, that salt must be tasty.
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