February 5, 2022

Mt 5:13-16

There were two important phrases from the gospel that I would like to reflect; salt and
light. We all know that salt is a valuable commodity since salt lends flavor to food. Food
becomes tasteless without it. On the other hand, light gives us brightness in the midst of
darkness.

It was hereby stated “You are the salt of the earth… You are the light of the world…” and
I feel like this reminds us to be like salts that bring out the best in people and light that gives
inspiration to other people’s decaying life. However, there was a time in my life where I became
the exact opposite of these two.

Instead of bringing out the best in people, I brought out the worst in them and instead
of bringing light, I brought them darkness. I was in 1st year college when I became my parents’
source of headache and disappointment. I didn’t know why but I felt like my life had no
meaning and that it was useless and pointless. In order to find happiness, I usually have fun
with my friends and that includes drinking with them, which is something my parents didn’t
want me to do. With the help of my friends, I usually ran away at night when my brother and
our helper are already fast asleep and I secretly go home at 3AM in the morning, making sure
that I don’t make a sound so that they won’t wake up. Since my parents are working abroad,
they gave me the responsibility of budgeting my brother and I’s monthly allowance. Because of
that, I was tempted to buy expensive things, thinking it would bring me happiness and would
satisfy the emptiness that I felt inside. Sure, it made me happy, but it was only a temporary
happiness. The sadness would revisit every night especially when I’m alone and the moment I
wake up in the morning. It came to a point where our allowance that should last for 1 month,
only lasted for 3 weeks. As a result, we were short of money. I didn’t have any choice but to tell
my parents about it since I don’t know where to get any money that would help us survive for
another week. I got scolded for being so impulsive in buying unimportant things and for not
thinking rationally. They also found out that I was running away at night just to have fun with
my friends. Despite being miles away from my father, he father called me, yelling and cursing
me because of too much anger and disappointment. I apologized and promised that I’ll never
do it again. I learned from my mistake and up until now, I am trying to obey them as much as I
can.

I realized that our parents have been our salt and light in this world. So we must return
the favor. As their children, we too, need to be their salt and light in this tasteless and dark
world. Moreover, as children of God, we are also required to be a salt and light in other
people’s lives, may it be in the lives of our friends or enemies.