Salt is everywhere and we use it everyday but take it for granted. We only remember it’s usefulness when we want to season or preserve our foods. Apart from this, do you know that salt has healing properties and spiritual powers? No wonder to describe the nature of his disciples, Jesus said you are the SALT of the earth! So if you want to know the spiritual powers of salt, continue reading slowly…
Matthew 5:13-16
Jesus said to his disciples: ‘You are the salt of the earth. But if salt becomes tasteless, what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing, and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men.
‘You are the light of the world. A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub; they put it on the lamp-stand where it shines for everyone in the house. In the same way your light must shine in the sight of men, so that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your Father in heaven.’
POINTS FOR REFLECTION
1. Child of God, Jesus calls his disciples salt of the earth and light of the world. He didn’t say they are “like salt or like light”.By saying this he shows the true identity of his followers as persons called to make a difference in the world. To understand why Jesus used salt to describe his followers we have to look at the qualities of salt. Salt has both physical and spiritual qualities:
2. Physical qualities
Salt gives taste to food. It is an antiseptic and is used to purify and preserve things from corruption. Salt also has health benefits. What does this mean for us today? We all are called to give taste to the world that has become insipid with sin. Without Christians the world will be “tasteless” and too difficult to live in. We are also called to purify the world of the disease of hatred and wickedness. However, in giving taste to the world we should be careful not to become too salty, otherwise we fail in our project of making the world a better place.
3. Spiritual qualities
In the Bible, salt symbolises purity and holiness. For this reason God commands that salt be added to burnt offerings on the altar, saying: “add salt to all your offerings and season all your grain offerings with salt” (Lev 2:13). And God instructs the priests to salt that which is to be sacrificed on the altar saying:
You are to offer them to the Lord, and the priests are to sprinkle salt on them and sacrifice them as a burnt offering to the Lord (Ezekiel 43:24).
Salt also contributes to the spiritual quality of the incense, making it holy and sacred. God commands that salt be mixed together with incense and fragrant spices. The fragrant mixture was then to be salted and pure and sacred (Exo 30:34-35). Infact, in 2 kings 2:20 prophet elisha uses salt to purify the river causing sickness and death. That is why in the rite of blessing of holy water, the church invokes the power of God over water, with the words: “O God who commanded us through the prophet Elisha to sprinkle salt over water that it may become wholesome…”
Salt also connotes permanence, integrity, and everlasting power- an irrevocable pledge of faithfulness. That is why the covenant God made with Israel and David is described as ‘an everlasting covenant of salt’ (Num 18:19) and ‘a covenant of salt’ (2 Chron 13:5) respectively.
And so when Jesus says to his disciples, and to us by extension: “You are the salt of the earth, the weight of what He said must be understood from the qualities of salt (both physical and spiritual) and should be applied to our lives as children of God.
5. Avoid Becoming too salty
Remember that salt makes food taste good but too much salt spoils the food making it unhealthy to eat. Likewise, we are called to be prudent in our actions of ‘making a difference’ in the world. We should reveal amd say the truth with prudence, one at a time. We should not try to force our truths and beliefs on others, otherwise we become disadvantaged and defeated in our mission of transforming the world.
6. How to use Blessed Salt
Because of the spiritual quality of salt to purify, it is potent for exorcism. And so, a blessed salt is a powerful sacramental one should have at home. If you don’t have it, buy a natural rock salt and take it to any catholic priest to bless it. Blessed salt can be used at home:
a. To create spiritual barrier of protection to ward of evil spirits
b. To bless every member of your household. Parents, especially the father has this spiritual right.
c. When building a new home, or opening a new business establishment sprinkle on the foundations of the house.
d. As seasoning, to cook and bake.
e. Use it as spiritual protection while travelling.
7. Prayer for Blessing a House with Salt
The head of the family will exercise spiritual authority over the property in using Blessed Salt with this prayer:
I seal this (room or home) in the Precious Blood of Jesus Christ our Savior, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
TASK
Remember you are LIGHT and SALT. Live your live daily to make a difference in the world. Jesus tells us elsewhere: have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another (Mark 9:50). And St Paul reiterates this, saying:
“Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6).
These verses remind us not to be corrupted in our conversations and interactions aby choosing wholesome language and right associations. If you don’t have a blessed salt at home, get salt and have it blessed by a catholic priest.
I Pray For You:
May your life be transformed and those around you experience divine transformation and peace as you put the knowledge gained here into practice. And as you use a blessed salt to pray, I pray God’s protection and blessing be upon you, in Jesus name. Amen.
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PRAYER OF EXORCISM AND BLESSING OF SALT
Here is the prayer of blessing and exorcism of Salt from the Roman Ritual done by the Priest. Vesting in surplice and purple stole, the Priest says:
Priest: Our help is in the name of the Lord.
R/: Who made heaven and earth.
Exorcism and Blessing of Salt
Priest: O salt, creature of God, I exorcise you by the living (+) God, by the true (+) God, by the holy (+) God, by the God who ordered you to be poured into the water by Elisha the prophet, so that its life-giving powers might be restored. I exorcise you so that you may become a means of salvation for believers, that you may bring health of soul and body to all who make use of you, and that you may put to flight and drive away from the places where you are sprinkled; every apparition, villainy, turn of devilish deceit, and every unclean spirit; adjured by him who will come to judge the living and the dead and the world by fire.
R: Amen.
Priest: Let us pray. Almighty and everlasting God, we humbly implore you, in your immeasurable kindness and love, to bless (+) this salt which you created and gave to the use of mankind, so that it may become a source of health for the minds and bodies of all who make use of it. May it rid whatever it touches or sprinkles of all uncleanness, and protect it from every assault of evil spirits. Through Christ our Lord.
Avoid being too salty. You break the word uniquely. God bless u Fr
OH LORD MAY I HAVE SALT IN ME AND HELP ME BE AT PEACE WITH EVERYONE.
Beautiful and thank you.
Thank you Father🙏