You are the light of the world!

5th Sunday Ordinary Time Matthew 5, 13-16

Many times, I have wondered what it would been like if I was 20 years older and lived during the time of the civil rights marches of the 60’s. Would I have joined Martin Luther King in his march on Selma or would I have stayed at home and watched it all on TV? Or if I had been around during the time of slavery in the United States, would I have participated in the underground railroad or would I have stayed in church and offered my prayers for the end of slavery. If I had been alive during the time of the plague, would I have helped people who were sick and dying or would I have stayed inside and made sure that I didn’t get sick myself? Or the Ultimate question: had I been alive during the time of Jesus, would I have been a Simon of Cyrene helping Jesus carrying his cross, or like John and the Blessed Mother at the foot of the cross? Or would I have been Peter denying I ever knew Jesus, or worse Judas betraying Jesus to his enemies? Well, we don’t have to play the time game anymore. The time is here, the moment is upon us. Today, 2026 in Toledo Ohio we have the opportunity to let our true colors fly. We can be a light to the world, a city set on a hill, the salt of the earth. Today’s Gospel is a continuation of last Sunday’s Gospel. Last week we heard the Beatitudes. Which is basically Jesus’ mission statement. Jesus laid out his priorities and let his disciples know what he was going to do. He expressed his priorities but saying who was truly blessed in his kingdom. The poor, the hungry, those who work for justice and peace, the humble and meek. He told the disciples that that was what his mission was all about. Today’s Gospel continues that theme. He tells his disciples that they are the light of the world, they are a city set on a hill, they are the salt of the earth. Jesus is telling us his disciples today: we are the light of the world, we are a city set on a hill, we are the salt of the earth. We are so needed today; we need to be that city set on a hill that gives hope to all especially the poor. We need to be the light of the world, or we know that people will be left in the darkness. We need to be the salt of the earth, because we know that without salt food has no flavor, without salt in the time of Jesus food would spoil and go to waste. Today is our day and now is the time. We know that the Immigration enforcement is not just about rounding up criminals, it isn’t just looking for pedophiles, gang members and murderers. We know that it is about separating families, it is about putting fear into the hearts of children. We know that it is about scaring people especially everyone and anyone whose skin color is different or speaks with an accent. I have been moved by the example of so many of my fellow citizens who have stood up and said no. In places like Minneapolis, Los Angeles, Chicago and right here in Toledo, Ohio. People who could be comfortable sitting on their couches or praying in the pews. They are too many names of people to mention but it is important to name Alex Pretti and Rene Good. Two people who lost their lives as they spoke out in favor of the immigrants. Too often I grow impatient. I want a world that is perfect today, I want God’s kingdom to be evident right now not tomorrow. Fr. Teilhard de Chardin said that we need to be patient and trust in the slow work of God. He said that there are all those intermediate steps that we need to go through on the way. Rene Good and Alex Pretti were two of those small steps. In the 30’s during fascist Italy a book came out Bread and Wine. It tells the story of a priest who moved his people to action saying that one person saying “no” was enough. Cardinal Tobin of Newark quoted that book when he admonished the government not to fund ICE. He said we say, “No!” we will call our congressmen and tell them not to fund ICE. We say no we watch out for our neighbors or family members who are immigrants. We say no when we get a whistle and blow it as a warning that immigration agents in our neighborhood. The truth is the time to be a light to the world is NOW! we don’t have to wait for some critical moment. Today is the day, now is the moment, may our light shine brightly in the darkness today. May our light shine brightly so others may see our good deeds and thus glorify God our Heavenly Father.