Matthew 5: 13 - 16 (or 13 - 20 for the non-Catholics)

5th Sunday in Ordinary Time, Year A.

Questions

1) Which words or phrases from the text struck me? What did I find challenging, encouraging, confusing?

2) Any thoughts on excluding / including verses 17 - 20)?

3) Is it significant that Jesus uses "you are" a statement of identity, rather than something like "you should" an instruction?

4) What does it mean to be of the "earth" and of the "world", of the physical and the ephermeral, of the substance and of the spiritual? What is incarnational faith?

5) How can we sit with the paradox of being bringers of light, colour flavour, joy; whist also being bringers of discomfort? Is it possible to do / be both at the same time?