It was the morning of February 8, 2026, at 06:23 a.m. Mwanakwetu set out, walking along the path toward church to pray at St. Augustine Church, Mwisenge Parish, in the Catholic Diocese of Musoma, Tanzania.
When Mwanakwetu checked the local weather conditions, they showed a temperature of 22°C, humidity at 10%, a probability of rain at 82%, and wind blowing at 6 km per hour.
As Mwanakwetu entered through the main gate of the church, he was welcomed by the sound of the diocesan bell being rung. As soon as he arrived, the Holy Mass began.
Peeping through the main door of the church, Mwanakwetu saw that it was full of the faithful. He could not find a seat, because by tradition this church is usually very crowded during the first Mass, which begins at 06:30 in the morning every Sunday.
While Mwanakwetu was standing outside the church, suddenly a young girl came along, dressed in a simple dress with a rosary around her neck. Standing near them, she said these words:
“You are told that near the kindergarten school there are chairs—let us go and sit there.”
Several believers who were outside together with Mwanakwetu followed her, and indeed they found several empty chairs. They sat down as the Mass continued. Now Father Julius Ogolla, who was leading the Mass, began to preach:
“Salt is a very important ingredient. Just look—what happens when food lacks salt? Food must have salt in the right measure in order to be pleasant to eat. Therefore, we are the salt of this earth and we are the light of this world. Now let us ask ourselves: you, teacher—are you salt in your school? You, father—are you salt in your family? You, mother, likewise? You, court clerk? You, magistrate? You, young man, and you, young woman—are you the light of this world? Let each person examine himself/herself in this matter…”
The homily ended well, and the Mass continued to its conclusion.
When Mwanakwetu returned home, he also listened to the homily of that Sunday from Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, the Prefect of the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples (Propaganda Fide), which deals with the evangelization of peoples worldwide within the Catholic Church. He said the following:
“Today is the Fifth Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A, in the Church’s Liturgy. In the Gospel, Jesus tells his disciples these words: ‘You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.’ As Christians and as the Church, we are called to give the world flavor so that it may continue to be good and beneficial for all of us. We do this through the way we live and how we relate to others.
Do our lifestyles, our customs, and our behavior contribute to building a society of justice and human dignity? Do our lives become like lamps that give light and guidance to others, especially to those who feel lost and abandoned?
Brothers and sisters, the Lord tells us that our good works should shine not for personal gain or self-glorification, but so that, seeing them, people may glorify our Father in heaven.”
After listening to Cardinal Luis Antonio Tagle, Mwanakwetu also visited the Vatican Radio website, where there was a reflection prepared by Father Bonaventura Maro. Among the many points Father Maro mentioned was this:
“Salt gives value. A Christian ought to recognize his or her own value and live as a person of great worth within. In the ancient world, salt had very great value and was a rare commodity. Thus Christ invites every Christian to recognize the great treasure that is within us. Otherwise, we lose the value of our discipleship.
The Apostle Paul reminds us that God chose to reveal his wisdom through what is weak—things that, by worldly logic and perspective, seemed meaningless—and through the Cross we have all received that great treasure, the gift of redemption.
Although we were weak, Christ lifted us up. Christ has given us great value and enabled us once again to be called children of God.
Do we recognize this value of being Christians? Do we cherish the great gift of faith and the gift of redemption that we have been given freely by Christ? A follower of Christ ought to recognize that he or she is of great value. We were redeemed not by perishable silver or gold, but by the precious blood of the Lamb, our Lord Jesus Christ.
We live in a society facing very serious challenges of faith. We are born into the faith, baptized, and receive various other sacraments, yet many times we are easily shaken in faith and forget the great value of the redemption we received from Christ Jesus. Today we are in this church, tomorrow we move to another; the next day we are with this pastor, next month with that one. Do I recognize the value of my faith?
Do I recognize the power of the Church’s sacraments, the power of the Holy Mass, the power of prayer and personal meditation in my life? A follower of Christ ought to recognize the value of his redemption, which gives meaning to his own worth. A follower of Christ should also recognize the value of others and protect the weak, as the Prophet Isaiah tells us.”
After finishing reading Father Bonaventura Maro’s reflection, Mwanakwetu then decided to write this article that you, the reader, are now reading.
Mwanakwetu, are you there? Remember:
“You are the salt of the earth. You are the light of the world.”
I wish you a good day.
makwadeladius@gmail.com
0717649257
Post a Comment