“I don't know if I agree with you,” said Trump. He then commented on Sen. Mitt Romney, a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints who had cited his faith in becoming the only Republican to vote for Trump's removal.
“I don't like people who use their faith as justification for doing what they know is wrong," Trump said.
“Nor do I like people who say, 'I pray for you' when you know that is not so,” Trump added, in a reference to House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has offered that message even as she led the impeachment effort.
Pelosi, a practicing Catholic, reiterated that she often prays for Trump.
“I pray hard for him because he’s so off the track of our constitution, our values, our country,” she said after the breakfast. “He really needs our prayers.”
I doubt few were surprised that Trump attacked people he saw as against him during his impeachment although, in disagreeing with Jesus' words at a prayer breakfast, he might have push the envelope a little further regarding presidential conduct. What disheartened me was how many in the conservative Christian evangelical community at the breakfast embraced the president’s remarks.
The Rev. Robert Jeffress of the Southern Baptist megachurch First Baptist Dallas commented, “I think the president was completely right in what he said,” Jeffress said. “It’s not politically correct, but he didn’t get to be president by being politically correct.” So Jeffress, in saying Trump was "completely right", must think that it was religiously correct for Trump to say he disagrees with the teaching of Jesus.
Now, what does this have to do with this week's Gospel? Pastor Ray admitted in his sermon this morning that he does not feel comfortable with thinking of himself as salt of the earth or light of the world. Neither do I. Something inside wants to do something that legitimizes being labeled like that. Yet I thought about who Jesus addressed when he talked about "salt of the earth" and "light of the world" earlier in the week. He spoke to a crowd and Jesus included everyone in the crowd without condition, "You (all) are the salt of the earth. You (all) are the light of the world".This all-inclusiveness was what I imagined writing about before Thursday morning. Regardless of whether a person is very good and honest or what kind of work they do we are all considered salt of the earth by Jesus. God, being a God of surprises, of course gave me a deeper insight into Jesus' teaching this week. I must also think of President Donald Trump as "salt of the earth". It may seem odd at first but the more this teaching is embraced the more sense it makes that this is a true Christian response to President Trump's prayer breakfast remarks..
Pastor Ray talked about how salt for the Dead Sea could lose flavor over time. I haven't experienced Dead Sea salt personally. I take the verse about losing flavor or hiding the light to mean since you are salt of the earth or light of the world, never truly embodying that betrays the essence of what you are here to be.
On deeper reflection this inclusive feeling inspires us more and more to being better Christians. Jesus is teaching about our identity, not a goal to be achieved. A person may not always be what the person is meant to be but that can change in a moment and the person can still be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
Also, remember Jesus was addressing what was called at the end of chapter 4 "a crowd of demoniacs and epileptics". He wasn’t telling the sick and the lame what they should try and become.…. Jesus was telling them you are blessed as you are right now - with all you are coming to be cured of - you are the salt of the earth and the light of the world.
I even feel an understanding of an apparent contradiction in the verses, "Therefore, whoever breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches others to do the same, will be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. The "unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven." seems to me to be about experiencing the kingdom of heaven on earth in the here and now. The "whoever does them and teaches them will be called least in the kingdom of heaven" says to me that everyone will reach this ultimate kingdom of heaven.
The Godspell song You Are The Light of the World captures this in the lyrics of the song and celebrates this teaching completely:
So let your light so shine before men
Let your light so shine
So that they might know some kindness again
We all need help to feel fine
(Let's have some wine!)
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