20260208 BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE IN CHURCH AND IN SOCIETY
08 February 2026, Sunday, 5th Week in Ordinary Time
First reading | Isaiah 58:7-10 |
Then will your light shine like the dawn
Thus says the Lord:
Share your bread with the hungry,
and shelter the homeless poor,
clothe the man you see to be naked
and do not turn from your own kin.
Then will your light shine like the dawn
and your wound be quickly healed over.
Your integrity will go before you
and the glory of the Lord behind you.
Cry, and the Lord will answer;
call, and he will say, ‘I am here.’
If you do away with the yoke,
the clenched fist, the wicked word,
if you give your bread to the hungry,
and relief to the oppressed,
your light will rise in the darkness,
and your shadows become like noon.
Responsorial Psalm |
Psalm 111(112):4-9 |
The good man is a light in the darkness for the upright.
or
Alleluia!
He is a light in the darkness for the upright:
he is generous, merciful and just.
The good man takes pity and lends,
he conducts his affairs with honour.
The good man is a light in the darkness for the upright.
or
Alleluia!
The just man will never waver:
he will be remembered for ever.
He has no fear of evil news;
with a firm heart he trusts in the Lord.
The good man is a light in the darkness for the upright.
or
Alleluia!
With a steadfast heart he will not fear;
open-handed, he gives to the poor;
his justice stands firm for ever.
His head will be raised in glory.
The good man is a light in the darkness for the upright.
or
Alleluia!
Second reading |
1 Corinthians 2:1-5 |
The only knowledge I claimed was of the crucified Christ
When I came to you, brothers, it was not with any show of oratory or philosophy, but simply to tell you what God had guaranteed. During my stay with you, the only knowledge I claimed to have was about Jesus, and only about him as the crucified Christ. Far from relying on any power of my own, I came among you in great ‘fear and trembling’ and in my speeches and the sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit. And I did this so that your faith should not depend on human philosophy but on the power of God.
Gospel Acclamation | Jn8:12 |
Alleluia, alleluia!
I am the light of the world, says the Lord;
anyone who follows me will have the light of life.
Alleluia!
Gospel | Matthew 5:13-16 |
Your light must shine in the sight of men
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.
‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill-top cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. 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.’
BE A POSITIVE INFLUENCE IN CHURCH AND IN SOCIETY
SCRIPTURE READINGS: [Isa 58:7-10; Ps 112:4-9; 1 Cor 2:1-5; Mt 5:13-16]
As Christians, how do we conduct ourselves in society? What is the identity and character of a Christian, and what is his relationship to the world? Today, in a world that emphasises inclusivity, there is a tendency not to stress our religious identity too strongly. We are often called to act and conduct ourselves like the rest of the world; otherwise, we risk being seen as disruptive and not inclusive. We are urged to adapt to the prevailing culture of the day, the lifestyles promoted by the media, and the values of the secular world. Furthermore, in the name of inclusivity, there are fewer and fewer schools managed by religious organisations, and even Catholic institutions serving the public often keep their religious identity hidden so that more people may make use of their services and assistance. So much so that many Catholics, in their public life, behave like secret agents of the Roman Catholic Church, fearful of allowing others to know their faith, as if being Catholic were a crime.
Yet, the message of Jesus in today’s Gospel is clear. There should be no diluted disciples or invisible disciples. We are called to make our presence felt in the world so that the Church may draw and attract people to accept the Gospel. If we are no different and have nothing to offer beyond what the world already provides, why should anyone be concerned about Christ and the Gospel? The Church’s mission is not simply to proselytise and increase the number of the baptised, but to make converts into disciples of our Lord. Our task is to proclaim the Good News so that others may become the Good News of our Lord in the world, attracting people by their way of life, their faith, and their values. Thus, we are called to be different–not in order to draw attention to ourselves, but so that others may be drawn to our Lord.
Hence, right from the start, the Lord reminds us of our identity when He says, “You are the salt of the earth.” The first property of salt is its whiteness and purity. We are called to keep ourselves uncontaminated by the individualistic and materialistic values of the world. Indeed, more and more Christians are lowering their standards to meet those of the world, compromising even on fundamental values such as the biblical understanding of sexuality, gender, marriage, family, and the dignity of human life from the moment of conception until death. Christians cannot afford to compromise their integrity or the consistency of a life lived according to the teachings of the Bible by lowering moral standards in honesty, work, or lifestyle. We must strive to be pure in thought, word, and deed.
The second property of salt is its ability to bring out the fullness of what is seasoned. Without salt, food can be bland, tasteless, and unexciting. As Christians, therefore, we are called to live in such a way that we make a positive contribution to society and exert a wholesome influence on others. We must present the Gospel in a way that is attractive and meaningful, showing that it leads to authentic happiness, love, and freedom. When the Gospel is proclaimed half-heartedly and without passion, it neither inspires nor transforms lives; instead, it becomes an irritation, perceived as indoctrination or proselytisation rather than truly good news that enriches life. To be the salt of the earth means that we are useful and of genuine worth to humanity.
The third property of salt is its preservative power. We use salt to prevent things from becoming bad. In those days, when there were no refrigerators, salt was the best way to preserve food and keep it fresh. Thus, salt preserves food from corruption. As Christians, therefore, we must act as an antiseptic in a world that is often corrupt. We must be careful not to compromise our standards or relax our values; otherwise, we ourselves will become contaminated. Rather, we are called to be an antiseptic presence in a society that is prone to evil and selfishness.
Finally, Jesus warns us not to lose our saltiness. “But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.” When we become insipid, the world will ignore us. When we lose our distinctive flavour in society, we lose our worth as well. Instead, we must allow the world to discover the joy of the Gospel, so that we may remain joyful even in times of trial.
The identity and role of a Christian are defined not only by being the salt of the earth but also by being the light of the world. Jesus said, “You are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lampstand where it shines for everyone in the house.” It is clear that the light we possess is not our own but is received from our Lord. We do not produce this light ourselves; rather, we shine the light of Christ for all to see. A Christian is one who has received the light of Christ and reflects that light in the world, making it visible to all. He does not hide the Good News or his identity as a child of God, but allows the world to see his life, his faith, and his love for humanity. Only one who is filled with the light of Christ, and with His love and mercy, can truly shine that light.
This is why the Lord said, “In the same way, your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give praise to your Father in heaven.” Good works do not spring from ourselves but from the love of Christ dwelling within us. Our faith is expressed through good works. Therefore, the works we do are not meant to draw attention to ourselves or glorify us, but to lead others to God, because they see Christ in us. Whatever we do, our intention must be clear: we are Christ’s ambassadors. Like John the Baptist, who said, “The friend of the bridegroom, who stands and hears him, rejoices greatly at the bridegroom’s voice. For this reason my joy has been fulfilled. He must increase, but I must decrease” (Jn 3:29f).
The purpose of light is to guide and to show the way. We must therefore be examples of authentic living and mercy. We need the moral strength to explain to others why we believe in Christ and uphold the moral teachings of the Church. Unless we are clear about our convictions and our stance in life, we cannot be that light which leads others along the right path. At times, being light also means warning those who walk in darkness. We are called to be a warning light, so that others will not fall into the ditch through blindness.
To be the light of Christ is to reveal the Father’s work in our lives. This is what the first reading reminds us. God spoke to the Israelites who were externally faithful to Temple worship but lacked integrity and charity in their daily lives: “Share your bread with the hungry, and shelter the homeless poor; clothe the one you see to be naked and turn not from your own kin. Then will your light shine like the dawn and your wound be quickly healed over. Do away with the yoke, the clenched fist, the wicked word, if you give your bread to the hungry and relief to the oppressed, your light will rise in the darkness, and your shadows become like noon.” This is how the light of Christ shines through our lives as well. When others see us loving our enemies and serving the poor and needy regardless of race, language, or religion, they will see the face of Christ in us. When we are patient, kind, forgiving, generous, and truthful, they will come to understand how the Gospel liberates and gives life.
Truly, our Christian identity must be visible. As it has been said, “There can be no such thing as secret discipleship, for either the secrecy destroys the discipleship, or the discipleship destroys the secrecy.” We are called to live our faith not only within the Church but also beyond it–in our offices, restaurants, public places, and public life. The Lord warns us, “Those who are ashamed of me and of my words, of them the Son of Man will be ashamed when he comes in his glory and the glory of the Father and of the holy angels” (Lk 9:26). We are to be light not only in our homes or parish communities, but to the whole world, wherever we may be.
The most beautiful thing about being the light of Christ is that the more we illuminate the lives of others, the brighter we ourselves become. By giving away the light, our faith is strengthened and renewed. The more we speak about Jesus and share our lives, the more conscious we become of our Christian identity and our ability to make a difference in the lives of others. This is the secret of St Paul’s joy and happiness in his mission. Like a true saint, he allowed God to work through him, as he said: “Far from relying on any power of my own, I came among you in great fear and trembling, and in my speeches and the sermons that I gave, there were none of the arguments that belong to philosophy; only a demonstration of the power of the Spirit.” A saint is one through whom Christ shines. Let us strive to be such Christians–saints for Christ and for the world.
Best Practices for Using the Daily Scripture Reflections
- Encounter God through the spirit of prayer and the scripture by reflecting and praying the Word of God daily. The purpose is to bring you to prayer and to a deeper union with the Lord on the level of the heart.
- Daily reflections when archived will lead many to accumulate all the reflections of the week and pray in one sitting. This will compromise your capacity to enter deeply into the Word of God, as the tendency is to read for knowledge rather than a prayerful reading of the Word for the purpose of developing a personal and affective relationship with the Lord.
- It is more important to pray deeply, not read widely. The current reflections of the day would be more than sufficient for anyone who wants to pray deeply and be led into an intimacy with the Lord.
Note: You may share this reflection with someone. However, please note that reflections are not archived online nor will they be available via email request.
Written by His Eminence, Cardinal William SC Goh, Roman Catholic Archbishop of Singapore © All Rights Reserved.
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