Daily Reflection Memorial of Saint Barnabas, Apostle

Have you ever seen someone sit down for a meal and immediately grab the saltshaker before they’ve even tasted their food? I often wondered why they do that. I asked someone that question and they said to me, “you can never have enough salt.”



In the time of Jesus salt was a valuable commodity. Probably worth its weight in gold by today’s standards. In Jesus’ time it was used as a preservative, a flavor enhancer, and a form of currency. When Jesus told the people they were the “salt of the earth” that was a great compliment. He was letting them know how important and valuable they were in a society where they were oppressed and living under foreign rule. This passage is part of the Sermon on the Mount. It immediately follows the Beatitudes. Jesus is speaking to them in a way they are not used to. He is reminding them that power and wealth do not define the person. He wanted them to know that they were valuable. They would be the grains of salt that would spread his message to others.

For generations, through the gospel, Jesus has been telling us that we are the salt of the Earth. What an analogy! Imagine yourself being those grains of salt and God is just sprinkling you all over. Through your good deeds, done out of compassion and kindness, you are preserving, enriching, and saving the lives of others. You are spreading the gospel and sharing the grace of God. How special are we to be compared to salt.

Next time you see someone in need, share some of your love with them, and be the salt of the earth for them. After all, “you can never have enough salt.”