THE WORD
Jas 5,1-6 / Mk 9,41-50
Jesus said to his disciples, “Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward. “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe (in me) to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea. “If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. And if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into Gehenna, where ‘their worm does not die, and the fi re is not quenched.’ “Everyone will be salted with fire. Salt is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its flavor? Keep salt in your selves and you will have peace with one another.”
IN OTHER WORDS
In the movie, Salt (2012) Angelina Jolie playing Evelyn Salt, is a double-agent (CIA and Russian spy) who singlehandedly saves the world from nuclear annihilation. Evelyn Salt brings in “fire” into the story.
In the Gospel reading today, Jesus’ descriptions of salt are not easy to understand: Everyone will be salted with re. Salt is good, but if it loses its saltiness, how can you make salty again? Have salt in yourselves, and be at peace with each other. In the ancient world, plates of salt were often placed at the bottom of the earthen oven to ignite re. Apart from being a preservative and seasoning, it was a catalyst. In fact we believe that rice is cooked better when a grain of salt is placed on top of the rice cooker.
Jesus seems to be exhorting his disciples to make a difference in the world, like salt that can ignite fire. The Christian is a “fire-starter”. In the earlier part of Mark 9 where the reading belongs, Jesus presents himself as the best example of a person “salted with re” who must undergo suffering and death and rise again. Then he poses a similar challenge to his disciples: “Whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and that of the gospel will save it.
What profit is there for one to gain the whole world and forfeit his life? Today there are Christians in other parts of the world who are literally losing their lives for the sake of Jesus. We denounce the violence done to them. It is evil. But they are real disciples of Jesus “salted with fire.” We pray that the shedding of their blood ignite a re to make our world a better world.
- Fr. Randy Flores | DWST, Tagaytay City
The Word in other words 2016
An annual project of Logos Publications, The WORD in Other Words Bible Diary contains daily scripture readings and reflections written by priest, brothers, and sisters of the three congregations founded by St. Arnold Janssen (the SVD, SSpS, and SSpSAP). It hopes to serve as a daily companion to readers who continually seek the correlation of the Word of God and human experience.
