SERMON FOR SUNDAY 8th FEBRUARY

SERMON 5A 2026.

 My friends last Monday was the Feast of the Presentation or Candlemass, when 40 days after Xmas, we celebrate the child Jesus being presented in the Temple, and the old man Simeon recognising him as the Messiah and proclaiming him to be the Light for the nations, thus the tradition of the blessing And lighting of candles on that day. The Presentation is also the annual day of prayer for those in the religious life or consecrated life, and in my role as one of the Episcopal Vicars for those in religious life, or the Archbishops rep to those in the religious life I helped organise and lead a day for all the religious of both Cardiff and Menevia here in Abergavenny. About 70 religious Sr’s and a few brothers gathered, mass celebrated by the Archbishop, a very nice lunch, and then a talk from the Archbishop. Most of the communities, especially of Sr’s are declining, even preparing for closure so please do pray for them, in this Archdiocese we have the still large community of the Sr’s of St. Joseph of Annecy, now based in Pontypool and Newport, the Sr’s of St. Joseph at Nazareth House in Cardiff, the Poor Clares in Hereford and the Missionaries of Charity in Merthyr, and communities around Swansea, such as the Ursulines and also Cistercians at Whitland Abbey and a few consecrated Virgins as well. Perhaps we should also remember today the sr’s who ministered in this parish for many years-The Daughters of the Holy Spirit, now left off course. 

 My friends in that Gospel, which continues Our Lords teaching from the Sermon on the Mount, which began last Sunday with the great teaching, the be-attitudes. Today after giving that long list of virtues, such as Blessed are the merciful, the pure of heart, peacemakers etc, he goes onto compliment his disciples, he speaks well of them, he almost boasts about them, he describes them as the salt of the earth and the light of the world. It must have been hard for those disciples to hear that, they might have asked themselves, is that what we are? Do we deserve to be spoken so well off? Perhaps Our Lord was also challenging them, that this is what they must become, the salt of the earth and the light of the world-and perhaps most challenging of all-that other people seeing this, would give glory and thanks to God for them. Those words are also aimed at us today-this is what we must be, that if we follow the teaching of the be-attitudes which we heard last week, if we are gentle, humble, forgiving, merciful, pure of heart, if we are peacemakers, then we will be the salt and light of the earth, we will be truly valuable and people will give thanks to God for us.

There are yet more challenges in the other readings today, the Prophet Isaiah says to the people of his time and to us today, to come to the aid of those in need, the hungry, the homeless, the poor, the naked, to come to the aid of those in need and not to take advantage of those in need, not to live off the misery of others, to show real integrity in the way you lead your life. Paul in the passage from his letter to the Corinthians sets a similar challenge telling them that all he ever did was preach Christ and give witness to Christ, not any fancy arguments just Christ and Christ crucified, and the implication is that we should do the same.

                  So all of our readings set us a big challenge today, rather frightening and perhaps overwhelming. All that we have heard is calling us to be sincere Christians, to practice what we preach, to practice integrity, and in St. Paul's words to be like Christ, to speak and act as he did. In our families, our friendships, our work, we must be valuable, we must be those kind of people who make life worth living for others, who improve the lot of others, who make others happy and reduce the burdens other people carry. We should be truly valuable to society around us. It is perhaps that image of the salt that really makes this clear, salt, that thing necessary for life, especially in a hot country in the middle east. It would be a very valuable thing, often taxed, such was the demand for it, apparently people would even be paid their wages in salt sometimes. Without it, you would die, without it any food or meal would be bland and boring, salt is therefore a really good reminder of what we should be. That we should be as precious, as valuable as beneficial as salt, that if we were absent, people would really notice the lack of us. Or if we are not like this, if we have lost that salt, if there is nothing valuable about is, if we are just Christian in name only, or if we actually do harm to others, if we live off the misery of others, then our absence will not be noticed, perhaps even applauded. Or has often been said, there is nothing worse than a half hearted Christian, a Christian who has lost his salt.

 As a parish we always need to consider what we can do as a parish to be the light of the world and the salt of the earth, how do we give witness to our faith, how do we stand up for the least of our brothers and sisters, which our faith requires of us. Standing up for the rights of unborn life, and of life nearing its end, supporting those in need locally and overseas, supporting families and individuals in need, and by the support we give to such groups as CAFOD and Christian Aid and all the charities that need our support etc. We already do a lot, the wonderful work done by our SVP, much of it unseen, support given to local foodbanks both here in Abergavenny and in Ebbw Vale most especially, but we can always do more.

                      So finally, how are we inspired and strengthened to undertake such tasks as this where do we get that salt from, how do we make ourselves so useful and valuable, what guides us and motivates us to do this, well by the power of the holy spirit, the holy spirit that is here with us now, the spirit that works through the word of God that is proclaimed and preached, the spirit that we receive in the holy Eucharist, the spirit that we receive in our prayers; the spirit that Paul spoke of-of how in his life he demonstrated the power of the Holy Spirit, which helped him to be as valuable and useful as he was. It is the Holy Spirit that will help us to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, will help us to full of integrity and determination and perseverance in our Christian lives. More than anything else it is what receiving Eucharist the or holy communion should inspire us to. For if we truly believe that the communion is the body and blood of Christ, then surely it should inspire us to be like him, because in receiving communion we become one with him, united with him. We should therefore, by the Eucharist be like St. Paul, full of the presence and power of Christ, full of that salt and light, full of blessings and hope for all those we know and meet, and to those in need around us - so much so that they will give thanks and glory to God for all that we are to them. Amen.