Each and every one of us has got a purpose in life. Our purpose in life ought to be to serve others and show good example, not just by words but also by deeds. Today's Gospel reminds us that "You are the salt of the earth... You are the light of the world..." Salt in itself is useless. It becomes useful when mixed with food to improve its taste. Light in itself is also useless. It becomes useful when it illuminates the night and guides us on our way. In the same way, each and every one of us are called to be useful in different ways while proclaiming the Good News.
However, lest we become complacent, thinking that it is sufficient to just proclaim the Good News, today's Gospel also reminds us: "In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven." Our words in themselves don't mean anything, if they are not accompanied with good deeds. In the Letter of James, we are reminded: "What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if someone claims to have faith but has no deeds? Can such faith save them? Suppose a brother or a sister is without clothes and daily food. If one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and well fed,” but does nothing about their physical needs, what good is it? In the same way, faith by itself, if it is not accompanied by action, is dead." Christianity is not just talk, as talking is easy, talking is cheap. We are also reminded to walk the talk, to show what we mean, to mean what we say.
There is a Malay saying: "Cakap tak serupa bikin" which roughly translated means: "What you say is not the same as what you do." Are we all talk and no action? Are we just blowing hot air, knowing only how to yak away, with the possibility of ending up gossiping? Or are we making effort to show the Good News, with our words and actions?
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