Meditation Mt 5, 13-16

Stand in God’s presence. God is present here and now, looking upon you with love.

Ask for the Grace: I will beg God our Lord that all my intentions and actions may be directed purely to the praise and service of His Divine Majesty

Fixing a place, a picture for meditation:  See the crowd of people on the mountain slope. Some are standing, others are sitting. Jesus is also there. You are there too: maybe near Jesus. Jesus tells everyone that they are the salt of the earth and the light for the world. See how people listen to Jesus and respond to his words. How do you feel there?

Ask for the fruit of meditation: for the courage to respond to God’s invitations

1.You are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.Jesus tells you that you are extremely valuable. He calls you to be the salt of the earth and wants you to give the taste of holiness, love where you live, where you are now. What does it mean to you? How do you respond to his call?You are also light to enlighten the darkness, to give hope and joy to others to show God’s action. How do you do it? Where? Who are you the light to? What are you invited for?

2. No one is able to be light by himself. First you must be filled with it, you must let God fill you with his light. How do you create space for God’s light in you?

3. … your light must shine before others, that they may see your good deeds, and glorify your heavenly Father.

Look at yourself, at your last day and see your good deeds. See also the people you met, your relatives: what their good deeds do you see, what goods did you get from them (name deeds one by one)? Thank God for everything, as you can.

Meditation: St Ignatius encourages in The Spiritual Exercises No. 2 … Because not so much knowledge, but internal feeling and the taste of things please and saturate the soul, that is, we stay where we feel interior movement … and nervously do not try to go on.

The final conversation: Spend a little time at the end, being with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….as you would with a good friend: sometimes talking, sometimes listening, sometimes being together in silence. Speak to God about your feelings. Remember that times when ‘nothing is happening’ can also be significant. When you’re ready, end your prayer by saying thank you or using words that are familiar,such as the Lord’s Prayer (Our Father)–whichever feels right and comfortable. (The Spiritual Exercises No.54)