St. John Chrysostom on the "Salt of the Earth"

The following excerpt from St. John Chrysostom's Homily XV (the text of which can be found here) is taken from The Preaching of Chrysostom (J. Pelikan, ed., Fortress 1967 - out of print). 

In this homily, St. John is commenting on Jesus' sermon on the mount. I thought it was a nice commentary on our Lord's words, that his disciples are the "salt of the earth." If read in the right spirit, for those who are either already working in ministry (ordained or not) or who aspire to do so, St. John's words are a nice reminder of the responsibility that comes along with that type of work:

Seest thou how by degrees [Christ] indicates [the disciples'] superiority to the very prophets? in that he saith they are teachers, not of Palestine, but of the whole world; and not simply teachers, but awful [read: awesome] ones too. For this is the marvellous thing, that not by flattering, nor soothing, but by sharply bracing them, as salt, even so they become dear to all men.

"Now marvel not," saith he, "if leaving all others, I discourse to you, and draw you on to so great dangers. For consider over how many cities, tribes, and nations, I am to send you to preside. Wherefore I would have you not only be prudent yourselves, but that you should also make others the same. And such persons have great need to be intelligent, in whom the salvation of the rest is at stake: they ought so much to abound in virtue, as to impart of the profit to others also. For if ye do not become such as this, ye will not suffice even for your own selves.

"Be not then impatient, as though my sayings were too burdensome. For while it is possible for others who have lost their savor to return by your means, you, if you should come to this, will with yourselves destroy others also. So that in proportion as the matters are great, which ye have put into your hands, you need so much the greater diligence." Therefore he saith,

"But if the salt have lost its savor, wherewith shall it be salted? it is thenceforth good for nothing, but to be cast out, and to be trodden under foot of men" [Matt. 5:13].

For other men, though they fall never so often, may possibly obtain indulgence: but the teacher, should this happen to him, is deprived of all excuse, and will suffer the most extreme vengeance. Thus, lest at the words, "When they shall revile you, and persecute you, and say all manner of evil against you," they should be too timid to go forth: he tells them, "unless ye are prepared to combat with all this, ye have been chosen in vain." For it is not evil report that ye should fear, but lest ye should prove partners in dissimulation [cf. Gal. 2:13]. For then, "Ye will lose your savor, and be trodden under foot": but if ye continue sharply to brace them up, and then are evil spoken of, rejoice; for this it the very use of salt, to sting the corrupt, and make them smart. And so their censure follows of course, in no way harming you, but rather testifying your firmness. But if through fear of it you give up the earnestness that becomes you, ye will have to suffer much more grievously, being both evil spoken of, and despised by all. For this is the meaning of "trodden under foot."