Hi everyone. Welcome back to the Daily Gospel Exegesis episode. Hopefully you're enjoying this

approach to scripture where we take a look at the literal sense of

scripture, which is where the Catholic teaching says we have to start. There is, of course,

spiritual meanings of the text and personal meanings of the text, but the church says we must start

with the literal sense, which is what was the original author trying to convey to his original

hearers. And we can use the tools of exegesis and good Catholic

scholarship to try and understand what that might be. So we're going to take a look at a part of the

sermon on the mount today. And as I've said a few times, it's best if you can read the entire

sermon on the mount all at once. But what we're doing here is breaking it down into smaller chunks to see if we can

understand the literal sense of the text. So let's look at Matthew chapter 5 verses 13 to 16.

Jesus said to his disciples, you are the salt of the earth, but if salt becomes tasteless,

what can make it salty again? It is good for nothing

and can only be thrown out to be trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world.

A city built on a hilltop cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp to put it under a tub. They put it on

the lampstand where it shines for everyone in the house.

In the same way, your light must shine in the sight of men.

So that, seeing your good works, they may give the praise to your father in heaven.

So what's the context here?

While we're in this sermon on the mount Mount where Matthew has collected a series of Jesus'

teachings about the kingdom of God and put them together, or of course you could say that

maybe Jesus did say all of this on the one occasion, and that's quite possible too.

Now already in the Sermon on the Mount we've had the Beatitudes, and now we get into this

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