Rooted and Grounded 

 

"Salt and Light" 

  

  

          Recently, during one of our "His Global Love" core meetings I had an image of a saltshaker. Someone was holding the saltshaker upside down and as salt came out, the shaker had a bright light beam coming out of its head as if it also doubled as a bright flashlight. The words came, "salt and light for the people". This reminds me that contemplative intercessory prayer offers those whom we pray for spiritual salt and light, for it offers them Jesus who is salt of the earth and light of the world. In Mt. 5:13,14 Jesus tells his disciples, "You are the salt of the earth…You are the light of the world." As contemplatives we bear both the salt of life and the light of life within us because we bear Jesus within us. Jesus says of himself in John 8:12, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness but will have the light of life." 

          Imagine a world without food seasoning. All foods would be lackluster, tasting bland without flavor. Imagine this same world without the light of the sun. Without light all would be in darkness. Without the photosynthesis generated by the sun there would be no food to grow and eventually death would ensue. Yet, many people today live without spiritual salt and light in their lives. They may be surviving but they are certainly not thriving in a life of faith. Without Jesus in one's life one lacks the "flavor and seasoning" of a Spirit-filled life. Without Jesus in one's life one can become spiritually and morally eclipsed and directionless: "Whoever walks in the dark does not know where he is going" (John 12:35).  

          As contemplatives in our daily prayer, we receive the "salt and light" of Jesus' intimate, loving presence. Then, we have something to offer others in our prayer of intercession: The "salt" of God's love, and the "light" of God's truth, God's seasoning and enlightenment. We pray that they can "taste (salt) and see (light) that the Lord is good" (Psalm 34:9). How many people today don't know God personally, and hence do not believe in his goodness? How many don't realize how loving, gracious and merciful God is? How many today have such a poor and false image of God? How many today have such a poor self-image of themselves? Contemplative intercessory prayer can offer others the salt of God's love and the light of his truth for their enrichment and growth. Also, the prayer of intercession can both expose and dispel lies from the hearts and minds of those whom we pray for. Intercession makes a difference. 

          Because contemplative intercession gives light to others it offers vision and direction and renewed hope to them so that they can know the way—can know Jesus, the Word, who is the way: "You are my lamp, O Lord! O my God, you brighten the darkness about me" (2 Sam. 22:29); and "May the eyes of [your] hearts be enlightened, that you may know what is the hope that belongs to his call" (Ephesians 1:18). The eyes of the heart are the eyes of faith; for faith is a seeing with the hidden, interior eyes of the heart. Intercessory prayer can awaken the light of faith in those whom we pray for: "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (Eph. 5:14). The light that Jesus offers allows one to grow in faith and to become a child of the light.    

          One of the realities about salt both on a natural level and on a spiritual level is that it makes us thirsty. Intercessory prayer can awaken in those whom we pray for a new spiritual thirst for God and a yearning for the things of God: A longing for the word of God, the sacraments, and a desire for holiness: "My being thirsts for God, the living God" (Psalm 42:3). Our intercession can awaken in others an authentic thirst for the living water of the Holy Spirit: "Let the one who thirsts come forward, and the one who wants it receive the gift of life-giving water" (Rev. 22: 17).  

  

Scriptures: 

1 Pet. 2:9; 2 Cr. 4:6; Mark 9:50B; Col. 4:6 

  

Questions: 

 

1)    Have you ever prayed for someone who lacked faith and trust in God? If so, how were you led by the Holy Spirit to pray for them? 

  

2)    Can you recall a time in your life when you began to see more with the eyes of faith and began to thirst for God in a new way? You may have been the recipient of someone's intercession for you. How would you describe that time in your life?