Study:  Reflect on a time when you were able to help someone in a profound moment of need.  What gave you the “push” to help?

Pray:  Is there a situation in your life that requires action but you find yourself in need of guidance?  Bring this concern to the Lord in your prayer.

Serve:  How can you be Salt or Light to someone today?  How can your life enhance the quality and dignity of another?

Mass Readings – 5th Sunday of the Year

We see some beautiful themes surface in the readings this week:

• 1st Reading – Through service to others God’s light will shine upon us
• Psalm – “The just man is a light in darkness to the upright.”
• 2nd Reading – We place our faith in the power of God
• Gospel – “Salt of the earth” and “Light of the World”

Throughout these readings the Lord’s power is manifested every time we cooperate with God’s grace through works of charity and service.  Things like:

• Share your bread with the hungry
• Shelter the oppressed and homeless
• Clothe the naked
• Do not turn your back on your own
• Remove oppression, false accusation, malicious speech
• Satisfy the afflicted
• Be gracious and lend
• Conduct one’s affairs with justice
• Give to the poor

When we do these things we discover that God provides the strength, wisdom, direction and guidance to carry them out.  The Lord takes our effort, reinforces it with grace, and blesses our work in ways we never imagined.  Like a brilliant light shining in the darkness, the glory of Jesus Christ pierces the pain and struggles of this life and offers us hope to continue on our way.

And when we let the Lord work through us we become Salt & Light.  Our lives, invigorated by God’s love, become conduits for Divine Charity to touch hearts and lives in our world today.  It is the Lord’s power at work in our lives, and we are blessed every time we say “Yes!” to the call of Christ to serve those in our midst.