(Vatican Radio) That Christians might spread the spiritual salt of faith, hope and
charity: this was Pope Francis’ exhortation at Mass Thursday morning in the chapel
of the Domus Sanctae Marthae residence in the Vatican. The Pope warned against the
risk of becoming insipid, “Museum-piece Christians.”
In his homily, Pope Francis
focused on the savour that Christians are called to give to their own lives and to
others’. The Holy Father said that salt the Lord gives us is the salt of faith, hope
and charity. But, he warned, we must be careful that this salt, which is given to
us by the certainty that Jesus died and rose again to save us, “does not lose its
flavour, does not lose its strength.” This salt, he continued, “is not for keeping,
because if the salt is preserved in a bottle it does not do anything: it is good for
nothing”:
“Salt makes sense when you [use] it in order to make things more
tasty. I also consider that salt stored in the bottle, with moisture, loses strength
and is rendered useless. The salt that we have received is to be given out, to be
given away, [in order] to spice things up: otherwise, it becomes bland and useless.
We must ask the Lord not to [let us] become Christians with flavour-less salt, with
salt that stays closed in the bottle. Salt also has another special feature: when
salt is used well, one does not notice the taste of salt. The savour of salt - it
cannot be perceived! What one tastes is the flavour of the food: salt helps improve
the flavor of the meal.”
“When we preach faith, with this salt,” said Pope
Francis, “those who receive the proclamation, receive it each according to his peculiarity,
as [happens when salt is used judiciously] on food.” So, “Each with his own peculiarities
receives the salt and becomes better [for it].” The Holy Father went on to explain
that the “originality” that Christian faith brings is therefore not something uniform:
“The
Christian originality is not a uniformity! It takes each one as he is, with his own
personality, with his own characteristics, his culture – and leaves him with that,
because it is a treasure. However, it gives one something more: it gives flavour!
This Christian originality is so beautiful, because when we want to make a uniformity
- all salted in the same way - things will be like when the woman throws in too much
salt and one tastes only salt and not the meal. The Christian originality is this:
each is as he is, with the gifts the Lord has given him.”
“This,” the Pope
continued, “is the salt that we have to give.” A salt that is “not to be kept, but
to be given,” – and this, he said, “means a little [bit] of transcendence”: “To get
out there with the message, to get out there with this richness that we have in salt,
and give it to others.” On the other hand, he pointed out, there are two “ways out”
for the salt to take, so that it does not spoil. First: to give the salt “in the service
of meals, service to others, to serve the people.” Second: “transcendence toward the
author of the salt, the creator.” The salt, he reiterated, "in order to keep its flavour,
has need not only of being given through preaching,” but, “also needs the other transcendence,
of prayer, of adoration”:
“In this way is the salt conserved, [in this way
it keeps] its flavor. With the worship of the Lord I go beyond myself to the Lord,
and with the proclamation of the Gospel I go out of myself to give the message. If
we do not do this, however - these two things, these two transcendences, to give the
salt - the salt will remain in the bottle, and we will become ‘museum-piece Christians’.
We can show the salt: this is my salt - and how lovely it is! This is the salt that
I received in Baptism, this is what I received in Confirmation, this is what I received
in catechesis - But look: museum-piece Christians! A salt without flavor, a salt
that does nothing.”
Cardinal Angelo Sodano and Cardinal Leonardo Sandri
concelebrated, The Mass was attended by a group of priests and lay collaborators from
the Congregation for the Oriental Churches. Listen: