What Kind of World Needs Salt and Light?

Daily Office Devotional, Tuesday, May 10, 2022

The week of the fourth Sunday of Easter

The Rev. David W. Perkins, Th.D.

Key phrases for reflection from today’s reading:

13 ‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 14‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid.

Daily Office Lectionary Readings (BCP, 961)

AM Psalm 45; PM Psalm 47,48

Exod. 32:21-34; 1 Thess. 1:1-10; Matt. 5:11-16

Today we celebrate the Feast of Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf. (See below.)

Morning Prayer, Rite 2, page 75, Book of Common Prayer

Evening Prayer, Rite 2, page 115, Book of Common Prayer

Compline (Night Prayer), Page 127, Book of Common Prayer

Daily Office Gospel, Matthew 5:11-16

11‘Blessed are you when people revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. 12Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

13 ‘You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot. 14‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hid. 15No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.

David’s Reflections

Do you feel a tension in today’s Gospel reading between verses 11-12 on the one hand and verses 13-16 on the other? How will the world receive a community that experiences poverty of spirit, that grieves, that is meek, that hungers and thirsts for righteousness, that practices mercy, that is pure in heart, and that makes peace? We might think that the culture, those outside the church, the general public would receive such a community in positive ways? Yet, according to verses 11-12, such a salt and light community will be persecuted.

How did Jesus’ publics receive him? From at least one public he received a hostile response. He was persecuted. Ultimately, that persecution ended his life and threatened the entire movement he had initiated. And, that happened to one whose life embodied the qualities that the beatitudes in 5:1-10 describe.

If the communities of faith are salt and light in the world, then the world lies in decay and darkness. A community living the life of the Beatitudes in verses 1-10 will be salt and light to that world in decay and darkness. Jesus expects us as his people to be fully immersed in the life of the world outside the boundaries of our faith community. Salt infuses food. Light infuses darkness. Jesus expects us to take the same approach as did he, one of immersion, one of witness, one of healing, and service. In so doing, we put ourselves at risk, just as did he. We may well be misunderstood, treated rudely, rejected, and resisted.

Our hope is that people will experience God’s love in and through us and will recognize us as genuine, that even if they do not respond, they will be convinced of our integrity, good will, and commitment. Actually, we hope that they will recognize in us the Christ who has been active with them all along—that, as one Anglican scholar put it, we will “expose the ever present Christ” to them.

Living the Christian life in community does not have to do primarily with meeting our own needs. The church exists for the world, not for itself. We are called to worship and serve and engage in mission--pointing people toward God, hoping that they will join us and “glorify our Father who is in heaven.” Yet, some will resist God’s loving presence in our words and actions because they were resisting God’s love and presence before they encountered us.

We must not underestimate the power of God’s presence in the world prior to and in concert with the community’s witness. Helmut Thielicke once observed:

“In . . . you, in me, and in the whole of poor Christendom, he is so mighty that it produces a great trembling and vibration in the whole world, just as the body of a giant ocean liner is shaken by the pounding of its engines."* I want to be in on the shaking, don’t you?

* Helmut Thielicke, Life Can Begin Again: Sermons on the Sermon on the Mount, trans. John W. Doberstein (Philadelphia: Fortress, 1963), p. 25.

Collect of the Day, Fourth Sunday of Easter

O God, whose Son Jesus is the good shepherd of your people; Grant that when we hear his voice we may know him who calls us each by name, and follow where he leads; who, with you and the Holy Spirit, lives and reigns, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP, 225)

Today we celebrate the Feast of Nikolaus Ludwig von Zinzendorf, prophetic witness.

(died 9 May 1760 CE).

http://www.satucket.com/lectionary/nikolaus_von_zinzendorf.htm

Collect of the Feast of Nikolas Ludwig von Zinzendorf

God of new life in Christ: We remember the bold witness of your servant Nicolaus von Zinzendorf, through whom your Spirit moved to draw many to faith and conversion of life. We pray that we, like him, may rejoice to sing your praise; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

A Collect for Peace

Most holy God, the source of all good desires, all right judgments, and all just works: Give to us, your servants, that peace which the world cannot give, so that our minds may be fixed on the doing of your will, and that we, being delivered from the fear of all enemies, may live in peace and quietness; through the mercies of Christ Jesus our Savior. Amen. (BCP, 123)

All the Good I Can

Dear God, guide me to

Do all the good I can

By all means I can

In all ways I can

In all places I can

To all people I can

As long as I can.

Bill Pittman and Lisa D., The 12 Step Prayer Book Volume 2: More Twelve Step Prayers and Inspirational Readings Prayers (Center City, MN: Hazelden, 2007.)

In the Order of Worship for Evening

Blessed are you, O Lord, the God of our fathers, creator of the changes of day and night, giving rest to the weary, renewing the strength of those who are spent, bestowing upon us occasions of song in the evening. As you have protected us in the day that is past, so be with us in the coming night; keep us from every sin, every evil, and every fear; for you are our light and salvation, and the strength of

our life. To you be glory for endless ages. Amen. (BCP, 113)

A Collect for Mission

Almighty and everlasting God, by whose Spirit the whole body of your faithful people is governed and sanctified: Receive our supplications and prayers which we offer before you for all members of your holy Church, that in their vocation and ministry they may truly and devoutly serve you; through our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Amen. (BCP, 100)