Christ Jesus, teach me about the saltiness of my life...

Gospel Mystery of the Day         Thursday, May 24, 2018
 
Good Morning!      
Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119)
 
Mark 9:41-50

        
Salt is good and useful, both physically and in a spiritual sense.  Salt enhances the flavour of food, melts ice, preserves fish, meat and pickles, and purifies and heals wounds.  Within our bodies, it is essential to have an appropriate level of sodium (salt); low sodium levels lead to exhaustion, weakness and even death.  So it is with our souls; a good level of the salt of challenges and sufferings in our lives is not only good, but necessary for our spiritual health. Jesus tells us that “everyone will be slated with fire”, that we will all have opportunity to become more whole by rising to the challenges and sufferings placed in our way. He then warns us not to lose our saltiness, not to insulate ourselves so much from suffering that we become weak of heart and exhausted in soul, sometimes leading to spiritual death.  As much as we live into the ‘salting’ experiences of life we will experience the enhancement of character, the melting of the frozen places in life, the preservation of the good fruits in our lives, and the purification and healing of our hearts. How healthy is my own saltiness of spirit? Do I need to adjust my life-focus in order to be salty enough to be the agent of God’s work amongst humanity? Christ Jesus, teach me about the saltiness of my life.
 
God yearns jealously for the spirit that he has made to dwell in us.
(St. James quoting scripture in James 4:5)
 
We will never be without struggle. But when we persevere with hope, courage, and confidence, we will come to fully realize in our innermost being that through the downward road of Christ we will enter with him into his glory.
Henry Nouwen
 
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Soli ad gloriam Dei