The Simile of Salt
http://graceandspace.org
Mk 9:41-50
[Jesus said to his disciples,] 41”Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink because you belong to Christ, amen, I say to you, will surely not lose his reward.
42“Whoever
causes one of these little ones who believe [in me] to sin, it would be
better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he
were thrown into the sea. 43If your hand causes you to sin,
cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed than with two
hands to go into Gehenna, into the unquenchable fire. 44 45And
if your foot causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to
enter into life crippled than with two feet to be thrown into Gehenna. 47And
if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. Better for you to enter
into the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown
into Gehenna, 48where ‘their worm does not die, and the fire is not quenched.’
49“Everyone will be salted with fire. 50Salt
is good, but if salt becomes insipid, with what will you restore its
flavor? Keep salt in yourselves and you will have peace with one
another.”
Reflection:
Anyone who gives you a cup of water to drink. These
are encouraging words from Jesus. Whoever gives even a cup of water to
someone because he belongs to Christ will be rewarded. No good deed done
to a follower of Christ will go unnoticed.
But
a stern warning follows: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who
believe [in me] to sin, it would be better for him if a great millstone
were put around his neck and he were thrown into the sea.”
Both
these sayings of Jesus show how much he values his disciples, these
little ones who believe in him. In a society like ours where the vast
majority are Christians, we should value each other and help one
another, taking care not to cause others to do wrong.
Is your life flavored with a sense of purpose
and given to the service of God
and your brothers and sisters?
No comments:
Post a Comment