I once knew a man who had an emotional breakdown.
He realized one day as his life was crashing down, both around him and within him, that he had wasted most of his life. He realized that his dog had more to offer to the world than he did. He realized that he had done more harm than good, more pain than comfort, more tearing down than building up. While his dog had always been good company, a faithful companion, a comfort, who brought joy and life, rather than draining it away.
I have to admit I have never looked at dogs the same way ever since.
Now this is not a sermon about dogs.
This is rather about what we do with these few days we are given.
Have you ever known someone who just brought good things about? Not just a smiley optimist, but something deeper, someone who made the day better, and more than just a day, everyday, somehow rearranging the world so that people are drawn together rather than driven apart, bringing out the best.
Kind of like how salt brings out the flavor in food while at the same time preserving it from decay.
People of salt who pass the salt around.
This past week Anderson said good-bye to one of these salt passers, Father Thaddeus, one of the Franciscan friars at St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Church. He has been to several of our parish events. A simple man who just brought goodness to everything. I don’t get to cry at funerals very often.
This whole thing about having salt and being at peace with one another actually fits well with the series of hard sayings we hear in today’s gospel lesson from Mark.
When Jesus says to welcome the ministry of others who are not against him there is that salty attitude that is very generous towards others, it assumes the best, radical hospitality.
When Jesus speaks figuratively about cutting off a foot or a hand or an eye rather than do harm, it goes well with the salty person seeking ways to build others up rather than harming the faith of others.
These salty saints purify and preserve the world, they cure the infections that afflict us, they are medicine, they bring out the flavors of being alive.
Jesus is that salt, that we pass to one another, the stuff of life, flavor, medicine preservation and salvation.
The very salt of God.
How can we have this salt with ourselves and be at peace with one another?
This is the work of discipleship, the work and ministry of being in community together and of reaching out to others, passing salt to one another.
Grace Church has a new opportunity this year.
Soon after the Grace Church BBQ, we have the opportunity to join with other churches here in Anderson to build a house together for Habitat for Humanity. It is the first ever Apostles Build here in Anderson. It is called the Apostles Build because the idea is to get twelve congregations together to build the house, like the twelve original Apostles building the Church, sharing the labor.
The information is in the October newsletter which you just received. We will be sending out more information about the build. I am excited about this. We can help by prayer, by purchasing sq. feet, $60, by helping with a meal or especially by swinging a hammer. Sign up and pass the salt!
Have salt in yourselves and be at peace with one another.