Sunday - 8 February 2026 – V Sunday in Ordinary Time (A)
Mass Readings: Is 58:7-10 Ps 112 1Cor 2:1-5 Mt 5:13-16
Key
Verse to Meditate: "You are the salt of the earth
(Mt 5:13).
My dear Brothers and Sisters in the Lord,
The
Liturgy of the Word on this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time presents us with the
powerful images of salt and light. Jesus says to His disciples: “You are the
salt of the earth… you are the light of the world” (Mt 5:13–14). Salt and light
are elements essential to life in every civilization. Drawing from the daily
experience of Palestinian life, Jesus teaches that His disciples must become
salt and light through their way of living. As salt transforms the taste of
food, the disciple, matured in Christ, must touch and transform the lives of
others.
The First
Reading
In the
first reading, we hear the prophet Isaiah addressing the Jews who are concerned
mainly with the outward and irreproachable practice of worship, particularly
with rebuilding the destroyed Temple in the name of God. However, the prophet
reminds them that this is not enough. What they must do in order to “shine like
a star” is clearly stated in the following verses: “If you offer your food
to the hungry and satisfy the needs of the afflicted, then your light shall
rise in the darkness and your gloom be like the noonday” (Is 58:10). They
must break bread with the hungry, shelter the poor and the homeless, clothe the
naked, remove oppression, and cease pointing fingers and speaking impiously (Is
58:7). As Jesus himself teaches, it is through such good works that we truly
glorify the Father.
In today’s first reading, we hear twice the
striking promise, “Then your light will rise in the darkness” (Is 58:8a, 10b).
This promise is fulfilled only when people are willing to share their daily
bread with the hungry, bring the homeless poor into their homes, and clothe the
naked when they see them (Is 58:7, 10). Love for the poor and the needy, as
proclaimed by the prophet Isaiah, becomes the very measure by which one will be
judged on the Last Judgment Day, when Christ will bless or condemn people precisely
on this basis: “For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you
gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me” (Mt 25:35). This demand
echoes the holiness code of the Book of Leviticus, where the command, “You
shall love your neighbour as yourself” (Lev 19:18), is made concrete and
explicit in today’s reading. A purely external religiosity, devoid of genuine,
authentic, and active love, is insufficient. Christians are called to be
visible signs of Christ—true salt and true light—and not to hide that light
under human calculations or convenient compromises. Let us never forget the
urgent demand of the Creator: “Do not hide yourself from your own flesh” (Is
58:7).
The
Second Reading
In the second reading, we encounter the powerful
personal testimony of St. Paul regarding the proclamation of Christ and the
Gospel, which sets an inspiring model for every preacher engaged in the
ministry of the Word of God. The proclamation of the mystery of God cannot rely
on the power of limited human wisdom. Rather, it is humility, the recognition
of God’s sovereign election, and openness to the gift of the Holy Spirit that
enabled St. Paul to become an ardent preacher and faithful witness to Christ the
crucified Lord. He resolves to know nothing except “Jesus Christ, and Him
crucified,” the very heart of the Christian faith (1 Cor 2:2). This conviction
explains the singular focus with which Paul carried out his preaching ministry.
Paul approaches the
community in weakness, fear, and trembling (Ex 15:16; Is 19:16), revealing his
total dependence on God rather than on self-confidence (1 Cor 2:3). The
expression “fear and trembling” in the New Testament is uniquely associated
with Paul’s experience in the ministry of the Word (2 Cor 7:15; Phil 2:12; Eph
6:5). True faith, therefore, does not rest on persuasive arguments, but on the
demonstration of the Spirit and power (1 Cor 2:4; 2 Cor 4:7; 13:4).
The two terms “Spirit” and “power” are frequently linked
in Scripture (Lk 1:7; 4:14; Acts 10:38; Rom 15:13; Eph 3:16; 2 Tim 1:7; Heb
2:4). What accompanied St. Paul’s preaching was a clear manifestation of the
Spirit’s power. It is this spiritual power—the power of the Holy Spirit—that
enables one to become a true preacher of God’s Word (Rom 15:13). The Cross,
though a scandal to the world, is the source of God’s saving power. Christian
discipleship, therefore, calls us to place our trust not in human strength, but
in God who works through humility and faith. St. Paul reminds us today that the
proclamation of the Gospel depends not on eloquence or human wisdom, but on the
power of God at work. Even amid personal weakness and failure, effective
ministry flows from reliance on the Spirit of God and wisdom from on high.
Gospel
Reading
The Liturgy of the Word of
God on this Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time comes to us with the images of salt
and light. We are called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the
world. Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth… you are
the light of the world.” Salt and light are two elements that, in every
civilization, are considered among the most useful for life. Jesus uses these
two elements, drawn from the daily Palestinian environment, to say that the
disciples must become salt and light in their lives.
These titles—“salt” and
“light”—are not attributes or qualities of honour meant to make us feel
superior to others. Rather, they are words meant to empower us and to make us
feel increasingly committed to living the distinctive lifestyle that Jesus
indicates, so as to be credible witnesses. Just as salt can flavour any dish to
which it is added, so too must the disciple of Christ bring flavour,
friendliness, and goodness to others through his or her discipleship. Just as
salt can change the taste of food, so too the disciple of Christ must be mature
enough, like Jesus, to touch and transform the lives of others. If the word of
Christ does not dwell richly in the hearts of the disciples (cf. Col 3:16),
then everything becomes a waste.
Salt of the Earth
Salt is an image of
enormous symbolic force. It signifies flavour, knowledge, and wisdom, but it is
also a symbol of the Covenant (cf. Lev 2:13). Jesus inserts his disciples as
signs of this great Covenant. In Baptism, we are immersed so deeply in the mystery
of God that we ourselves become a sign of God for humanity, and this has an
enormous impact on the history of the world. Being the salt of the earth—being
savoury for others—is not the result of personal ability, acquired virtues, or
sacrifices offered. Rather, it is a testimony to the love that has been poured
into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us (cf. Rom 5:5).
Pope Francis reminds us: “Salt does not boast about itself because it does
not serve itself; it is always there to help others, to preserve things, and to
give flavour.”
Light of the World
In the creation story, we
read that light was created by God on the very first day: “Then God said,
‘Let there be light’; and there was light” (Gen 1:3–5). God saw that the
light was good and separated it from the darkness, calling the light Day and
the darkness Night. The sun, moon, and stars—the natural sources of light—were
created only on the fourth day (cf. Gen 1:14–15). The author of Genesis thus
affirms that light, like all creation, was found to be good (cf. Gen 1:4, 31).
God himself is the source of light.
In the Gospel of John, we
are told that Jesus is the true light, the one who enlightens everyone (cf. Jn
1:9). The words spoken by Jesus, therefore, must offer meaning and direction to
all people; otherwise, they fail in their purpose and become useless—trampled
upon and thrown away. Hence, let us reflect more deeply on what Christ the Lord
has said: we Christians must be salt scattered among humanity and a light that
illuminates and brings joy to those who approach us. Our responsibility is
great. We cannot remain lumps of salt or hidden light.
Jesus clearly invites us: “Let
your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give
glory to your Father in heaven.” We are not the light—Jesus is the “light
of the nations” (cf. Is 49:6). We must humbly and gratefully receive this
light and reflect it, spreading it around us like the moon reflects the sun.
Jesus himself said: “I am the light of the world; whoever follows me will
not walk in darkness” (cf. Jn 8:12). These two elements—salt and light—find
their fullness in Jesus Christ. He is the salt of wisdom that gives meaning to
human life, and he is the true light that enlightens everyone (cf. Jn 1:9). We
are called to reflect this light of wisdom, which is possible only if we allow
our hearts to be formed by Jesus through attentive listening to his word.
Points for Personal
Reflection
Jesus addressed these words
to the community of disciples immediately after proclaiming the Beatitudes (Mt
5:1–12). The world is made radiant by the presence of God, who is the light of
the world and who has placed lights in the universe to give us life and joy. We
do not see light directly; rather, we see light when it illuminates things. In
the same way, the Christian community, like a house built on a hill, is called
to give light to those who look toward it. We are called to illuminate the
world and give it meaning.
To be salt and light today
means living with transparency and clarity. This is why we repeatedly pray with
the psalm: “The righteous one shines like light.” Consequently, either
we distinguish ourselves in society in a truly Christian manner—being salt that
gives flavour and light that reflects Christ—or we become the salt that has
lost its taste, which, as Jesus warns, is good for nothing except to be thrown
away and trampled underfoot.
Am I truly the salt of the earth and the light of the world? What in my
life shows that I am living as salt and light, as Jesus calls me to be?
