P ♰ C

by Jean Allen

As I said last week in the reflection on the Beatitudes, we have difficulty incorporating them into our lives in a way that will make the world sit up and take notice. As Jesus indicates this week, when you inhabit the kingdom of Me, you are like salt that has lost its taste or light that is hidden under a basket – no good to anyone really. Have you ever tasted bread that someone forgot to add salt to? So unimpressive and very blah. As I write this, we are experiencing an atmospheric river and, if there are no lights on in our home, it is so dark and depressing. 

Jesus speaking of us being the salt of the earth and lights of the world comes directly after his discourse on the beatitudes. He is saying that if we don’t seriously try to live with and like the Trinity, who embody the beatitudes, our lives will be flat and dark – not an inspiration to anybody. You may be very active in your parish and engage in lovely devotions, but if you never wrestle with the beatitudes, especially when you’re angry and reactive, they are the last thing your ego thinks are necessary. They hardly even come to mind unless they’re in the Gospel for a Sunday.

Mention Christianity and the world yawns or angrily reacts. That’s not the fault of the world. Christians just haven’t given it a consistent light to be drawn to nor have we indicated that we have a flavoring that will brighten the hearts of those who taste. People who say they have rejected Jesus have never met him. They have met distorted representations of him from Christians who have never bought into the Beatitudes, Christians who have more of a relationship with their opinions than with mercy and love. In other words, Christians who live in the kingdom of Me. 

Let us build the city of God on a mountain top. Not the city of Me.

That is one dark and depressing city.