Sunday the 8th of February 2026 - The fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

Isaiah 58:6-10/ Ps 112(111)/ 1 Corinthians 2:1-5/ Matthew 5:13-16

Have you noticed how some things lose their power when they are not used? A torch sitting in a drawer does nothing for anyone. Salt left in a salt cellar can never enhance a meal. But when these simple things are used, when a torch shines and salt seasons, they can transform things. Today, Jesus gives us two powerful images that reveal exactly who we are called to be, salt and light. Not salt sitting unused in a container, or a light hidden under a basket. But salt that flavours, and light that illuminates. These are mission statements for every baptised Christian.

Salt was a valuable necessity in the scorching heat of Palestine, without refrigeration, it was essential. Salt preserved food from spoiling, purified it, gave flavour to what would otherwise be bland and tasteless. Salt was so valuable that Roman soldiers received part of their wages in salt. That is where we get the word "salary". This was not just a cooking ingredient, a condimen

When Jesus calls us "the salt of the earth," He is telling us something profound about our mission. We are called to preserve the faith from corruption, called to purity in our speech, our conduct, our thoughts. We are called to bring the rich, deep flavour of the Gospel to a world that has grown bland and tasteless without God. What happens to salt that loses its flavour? Jesus tells us clearly, it is good for nothing except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. Salt that does not season is worthless. A Christian who does not live out the Gospel with conviction and authenticity is like useless salt that has lost its purpose. We must not water down the Gospel, we cannot present the world with a bland, diluted version of Christianity that asks nothing and changes nothing. The world needs the full strength of the message Jesus brought, His challenging, transforming, life-giving message that sets people free.

In the second image Jesus calls us to be “the light of the world!" This is what we are by virtue of our baptism. In that sacred moment we were seasoned with grace like food is seasoned with salt and we became bearers of Christ's light in the world. Just as the moon reflects the light of the sun, we reflect the light of Christ to the world. The light that shines from us comes from Jesus dwelling in our hearts and souls. We are torchbearers in a dark world, a world that desperately needs that light. Light illuminates dark streets so people can walk safely, it serves as a beacon, showing safe passage to those who are lost, it exposes what is hidden and makes the way clear. That is what we are called to do. We must be visible, like a city set on a hilltop, like a lamp placed on a lampstand. Our faith cannot be a private matter that we keep locked away, praying in our rooms, or hidden away in our church buildings. We need to be the light of the World. Our faith must be visible in everything we do and say. Every interaction, every decision, every word, all should reflect the light of Christ.

What does this mean for us today? The prophet Isaiah gives us the answer in the first reading. Share our bread with the hungry, shelter the homeless, clothe the naked. When we do these things, when we reach out to those in need with genuine love and compassion, then the light of Christ shines out to the World from us. When we live as salt and light we are transformed, we experience the radiance of God's presence in our lives. The psalm continues this theme, calling us to be "a light in darkness to the upright." The righteous person is generous, merciful, conducting their affairs with justice. They are not afraid of evil tidings because their heart is firm, trusting in the Lord. This is the kind of steady, unshakeable faith that shines brightest in the darkest times. Saint Paul reminds us in the second reading that this mission does not depend on our own wisdom or eloquence but on the power and wisdom of God. We cannot be perfect, we do not have to have all the answers, we do not have to be the most eloquent speakers or the most educated theologians. We just need to let Christ shine through us, to be authentic witnesses to the power of God working in and through our lives.

We must not hide our light. Jesus is clear about this. No one lights a lamp and puts it under a basket and yet it is often tempting to do just that with our faith. We might keep it hidden, worried about what others think or say, afraid of standing out or being different. The world does not need hidden Christians, it needs believers who shine brightly, who season confidently, who live their faith with courage and conviction. The world is stumbling in darkness, searching for meaning, desperate for hope, it needs to see the light of Christ reflected in us, to guide it to safety. Some of the people closest to us, family, work colleagues, neighbours, might be struggling with darkness. Some may be lost and searching, some may have given up hope. The light of Christ reflected from us can be what they need, the beacon to guide them safely home. We have so many opportunities to be salt and light. Through our parishes, Catholic charities, countless organisations that serve the poor and vulnerable, we can support the work of bringing Christ's light to those in darkness. We can also do it in the simple, everyday moments of our lives, a kind word to someone hurting, an act of goodness when no one is watching, a choice to forgive when it would be easier to hold a grudge. Every one of these moments is an opportunity to let our light shine. Every act of love, word of encouragement, gesture of compassion, these are the ways we fulfil Christ's call to be salt and light to the world.

We must not be salt that has lost its flavour or the light hidden under a basket. May we live our faith with authenticity, conviction, and joy, so that others cannot help but see our good works and give glory to our Father in heaven. Let our light shine, may we season the world with the pure, strong flavour of the Gospel, being the beacon that guides others to Jesus. This is who we should be, this is our mission, the calling we received in baptism. Let us pray for the courage to be the salt and light Jesus has called us to be, now and always.

God Bless Brendan.