Salty Food

A Reflection on the Gospel for Sunday, February 8th, 2026:
Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time

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Matthew
​5.13-16 

​​Jesus said to his disciples: “You are the salt of the earth; but if salt has lost its taste, how can its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything, but is thrown out and trampled under foot.

“You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one after lighting a lamp puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before human beings, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father in heaven.”

​Pause. Pray. Reflect.

Growing up, my dad did all the cooking for our family. He’s also been living with kidney disease for many years, so we all ate a very low-sodium diet to help keep him healthy. He got very creative with bouillons, seasonings, herbs, and spices to add flavour without salt. But when I moved out and started cooking for myself, I began experimenting with adding salt to my food. It was truly astonishing the dramatic difference it made! Vegetables went from something I ate because that’s what you’re supposed to do to something I genuinely looked forward to. I discovered that meat could be enjoyed and not just tolerated. And potatoes — I can’t eat potatoes without salt anymore! 
 
It’s a funny thing, this mineral. We need some of it, but not too much. Unlike most animals, we humans don’t usually eat salt on its own – that has a strong and often unpleasant taste. But when salt is added to the right food in the right amount, the food seems to sing. It comes alive in new and miraculous ways. 
 
When Jesus describes his disciples as “the salt of the earth,” I relate to it more now than I ever did when living at home. My adventures with salt have helped me see this passage in a new light, one that would have been familiar to the audience of Jesus’ day for whom salt was essential and hard to get. (Fun fact: The English word “salary” dates from a time when Roman soldiers were paid in salt!) 
 
The Bible is the Word of God, but the pages of a bible all alone are like unseasoned food — good, nutritious, but not always palatable or easy to swallow. Disciples (those who follow Christ and encourage others to do the same), we’re the salt — not useful on our own, but essential for making the Good News easy to understand and delicious! Faith is not something we undertake alone, at least not for long — it’s far too lonely and challenging. But faith with friends, fellow disciples, a church family, a community in Christ — that is a faith we can truly enjoy, look forward to, and rely on. 
 
Consider for a moment who was your “salt of the earth” when you first came to faith or renewed your passion for Jesus. For me, it was a lovely woman named Dawn. She made the words of the Bible come alive for me and retold the stories in ways I could understand and relate to. Her joy in the Gospel was contagious, as was her love for youth ministry and, years later, I would end up leading the ministry she led me in. 
 
I encourage you to pray for your “salt of the earth” person today and consider sending them a short message to thank them for their “saltiness.” Next time you’re at Mass or another church gathering, look for people who might need a pinch of salt, and ask the Holy Spirit to send you if you’re the one He wants to use today. 


Jenna Young

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