What does it mean for one’s light to shine? What does it truly mean to be the salt of the earth? Jesus speaks these words immediately after the Beatitudes. He addresses the crowds—ordinary people—and invites them into an extraordinary way of living. To be salt and light is not an optional identity for a few exceptional Christians; it is the vocation of every disciple. Reflecting on this passage, Pope Francis explains that Jesus is saying, in effect: If you are poor in spirit,

The Beatitudes confront us with a simple but unsettling question: what really makes a person great? Why do we assume that power, intelligence, success, or achievement are the true measures of human worth? Not long ago, a friend of mine lost the brother, a man who lived his entire life on the autism spectrum. The man exuded enviable simplicity. He was born into a family of remarkable achievement—professors, doctors, and engineers. Yet this brother did not go to school, did not

What are Zebulun and Naphtali all about in today’s readings? What is it about repentance and the kingdom of heaven? What is it about the calling of the first disciples ? All three point to one shared truth that touches every believer: God’s light is already in you. The prophet Isaiah speaks of a reversal. He says, “First the Lord degraded the land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, but in the end, he has glorified the seaward road.”  That word “first”  matters. It reminds u