For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. -Matthew 5:20

Prior to this, Jesus mentioned that we are the Salt and the Light of the world. These are important things that shape our daily spiritual lives. However, before we reflect on these things, we need to heed Jesus’ warning. We are to be different from the Pharisees and the Scribes. These also believed that they were the salt and the Light of the world. We always tend to think of them in a negative light. It is not entirely our fault. They were represented as the primary opposition in the gospels. Jesus defined the Pharisees as people who lived their lives on the surface. They did not dare to go deeper than what it was written. They were satisfied dwelling in the superficiality of life. Consequently, they interpreted their roles without much depth nor insight. They believed that they were the salt. They were convinced that they preserved the identity and vocation of the Jewish people. They believed that they were the Light because they upheld the purity of the Law. They believed it was their duty to point out to others the error of their ways and maintain the pure doctrine of their faith. There are many who follow the footsteps of the Pharisees today. It is an easier path to follow. This is why Jesus warns against walking down this road.

In Jesus’ time, one of the uses of salt was to heal. Salt was also used to preserve food and even as a form of currency. In the gospels, the most prominent part of Jesus’ ministry is healing. Wherever He went, He healed. Therefore, I want to focus on this aspect of salt because it plays an essential role in our ministry. Our children and teens need healing. One of the messages they have received since they were young is that they are not wanted. They have accepted this message as the truth even though it paralyses them. Sometimes people with good intentions unknowingly contribute to this lie. They go to the streets and try to convince the children that they will be accepted if they do such and such a thing. We were one of them. We thought that if the children got a good education and started working, they would be accepted. There is nothing wrong with this. However, unknowingly, we were implying that their rejection was their own fault. Besides, it is not easy for someone who has been homeless since 10 or younger to get an education which is considered worthy of a good job. It is also not easy for someone that has experienced rejection all their lives to overcome their sense of inferiority and get a regular job. Our children carry a deep wound in their souls and they need healing. However, they will never show their wound to anyone. It is too personal for them. In the same manner, we never want to reveal what is deep in our hearts. There are things that we experience which are so deep that we don’t even understand them. Most of us put up barriers that keep people out. We are afraid that we will be rejected if people can see our vulnerability and imperfections. Our children are no different from us. They are fearful to show themselves to the world but at the same time, they don’t want to be invisible to the world.

Our children need healing. They desire to know that they are accepted. It cannot be an acceptance with conditions. This is the spirituality of the Pharisees. They only accept people when they follow their doctrines and traditions. Jesus accepted people unconditionally. It was His unconditional love which helped us find our way in this world. We were once and maybe still are people who are wandering aimlessly without knowing our true purpose. This is, in essence, the definition of sin in the Bible; missing the mark, or rather, not knowing why we exist at all.

We cannot be just the Salt. We need to be the Light so that we can see where and how to apply the healing salt. These two elements are inseparable. Sometimes we are afraid of the Light because it exposes everything we keep hidden in the dark. We only have reason to fear the Light if we think of it as a force which judges and condemns us. This again is the message of the religion of the Pharisees. Their message is a message of condemnation. However, Jesus did not come to condemn but to heal. This is the biblical meaning of the word, salvation. It means healing.

The Light reveals who we are truly. We can see how God sees us and we can see the obstacles before us which hinder us from being the person we are meant to be. There is conflict in our souls. We are polarized. There is a lot of talk that this country being polarized. It is not just restricted to a particular country. It is a worldwide phenomenon. However, it goes beyond politics. This divide exists in our souls. We see children and teens who have much goodness and love in their hearts and yet sometimes they do things which are completely contradictory to their nature. They sense and know this but they are helpless to change it.

“For I do not do the good I want, but the evil I do not want is what I do.” Romans 7:19

There are about two hundred homeless children and teens who live in the streets where we minister. As you can imagine, the streets is a tough place and you have to be tough to survive. The girls, for obvious reasons, have to be tougher than the rest. One of the most intimidating girls is Dyana. Often times we saw her yelling at the other kids or her boyfriend. No one messes with her. Initially she hardly spoke to us for months but not because she did not like us. Even though we did think so initially. Eventually we realized that she is quite shy girl. One day she approached us and asked if she could do something with us. We were little surprised and happy at the same time. It was almost as if she became an entirely different person when she was with us. She revealed her more gentle and tender side.

On another occasion, there was a new trans teenager in the streets. As usual, the new ones are always a target for the others. One of the older boys got in an altercation with her and it was gradually escalating. I was keeping an eye on the situation. Then I saw Dyana stepped in and protect the trans teen. She stood between the teen and her aggressor. At one point, she even yelled at the aggressor saying that he would have to hurt her first before laying a finger on the newcomer. Eventually things calmed down and I never saw the newcomer again after that day. The next day I told Dyana that what she did was very special and kind. She smiled and said, “I can’t just sit there and let this poor girl be bullied.” We don’t know anything about Dyana’s background but it is obvious that she did not have it easy. She did not choose to be homeless but she is not going to allow her condition stop her from showing compassion and love to those who need it. She doesn’t do many activities with us but is always respectful and gives Mary a hug whenever she sees her. This is the real Dyana. The Light has revealed her heart to us and now we can become agents of healing too. Now, we cannot see her as that intimidating person, instead we see a kind person trying to get out of the tough exterior.

Being the Salt and Light of the world is not a chore. It is actually one of most wonderful aspects of the gospel. Jesus invites to participate in seeing the beauty and depth of God’s love in this world. Many have passed by the streets and think Dyana is an unruly teenager girl. We are the salt and the Light of the world. We see what others cannot see. We had a glimpse of the beauty which God sees in this young girl and now we can proclaim God’s healing into her life. However, we will not be able to recognize this beauty unless our spirituality goes beyond that of the Pharisees.