The Gospel according to Matthew this morning is an insightful mixture of metaphors- we disciples & followers of Jesus are called "the salt of the earth" and "the light of the world". We, as salt, give flavor to life, as well as what preserves what needs to endure. We are God's way of shedding light into the dimly lit corners and back alleys of creation, as well as the beacon in darkness that can guide home the lost and hopeless.

Jesus doesn't admonish his followers to try harder to be salt and light, but tells them what they don't notice about themselves- that they ARE salt and light already.  We don't need more self-exertion or more work-compulsion, but recognition of what happens when we follow Christ in the world.   To follow the voice of this teacher Jesus, to accept and live out the new reality he is proclaiming in their midst- the in-breaking of God's reign here among us all- is to be different already, and to offer something to the world that isn't found anywhere else.

To follow Jesus is to embrace a certain kind of 'saltiness' and passion and zeal and authenticity; "she's the salt of the earth" is one of the highest forms of flattery, a recognition of someone who is so comfortable in their own skin that they don't need the flattery of the world in order to know that they matter.   Salt is what we put on the rim of the glass before the drink is poured; it signals the potential for the outbreak of a certain wildness that the world attempts to domesticate, but cannot.  For once the salt is on the rim, once you light your fire and let your light shine, it's hard to put it out, or even to want to- it burns and ignites and threatens to set the world on fire!   BE the worlds' salt, BE the world's light.  For you ARE already, if you can just claim it with boldness & courage!

Today, we the community of St. Thomas' join to celebrate being God's salt and light.   We celebrate the return of many from vacations & we celebrate the start of a new program year.   Yet this opening Sunday after Labor Day is different.  Because today we celebrate in particular the deepening of our commitment to the children of St. Thomas' with the beginning of Godly Play classes and the dedication of our newly furnished Godly Play room in honor of a special bearer of salt and light among us, our fellow parishioner John Johnson.  You will notice in your worship bulletin that immediately following the final blessing; we will follow the crucifer downstairs to the Godly Play room.  As we dedicate that space to it's special vocation of being a place of salt and light for generations to come, we will fill it up and spill salt and light out into the hallways and kitchen and Guild Room-so that our voices can fill every nook and cranny with joy, thanksgiving and prayer.