In ancient warfare, the victorious army took measures to ensure that the vanquished people wouldn't return to vitality and military strength. One practice was for the victorious soldiers to trample salt underfoot into the cropland of the defeated nation (Mt 5:13), rendering the land infertile. If the conquered people couldn't grow crops, they couldn't prosper enough to take revenge.

Spiritual warfare works the same way. Jesus redeems us and transforms us into "the salt of the earth" (Mt 5:13). Jesus re-creates us to preserve and add flavor to the world. If we remain in Jesus and His word, He remains in us, and we bear abundant, enduring fruit for the Lord (Jn 15:7-8). In fact, we are more than conquerors (Rm 8:37; 1 Jn 5:5). However, if we think we have the Christian life all figured out and stray from Jesus, we lose our flavor. We go flat (Mt 5:13). Satan then uses the same technique as the ancient army. Satan takes our once-thriving, now-flat Christian lives and cruelly grinds them into the memory banks of others. This tactic is aimed at keeping these potential Christians spiritually barren, thus preventing them from bearing fruit. This ruthless cycle is repeated constantly in the media.

If you're feeling like you've lost your flavor for the Christian life, come to Jesus (Mt 11:28). Let Jesus turn the arid salt waste of your life into a verdant, fruitful garden (Ez 47:8ff).

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 22, 2007

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