One pinch of salt and one light can make all the difference. That was Jesus’ message to us today, and that was the purpose of a wonderful and poignant program our 8th grade students participated in again this year called “Names, Not Numbers”. It is a unique national program sponsored by the Holocaust Center whereby students interview and record oral histories of survivors of the Holocaust. After months of learning how to interview, how to film and edit from professionals, our students then met local Holocaust survivors whom they interviewed. The touching and tender film they produced of these interviews was shown here last Sunday afternoon.
They learned that Harry, who was only 10 years old, hid for three days in a stack of car tires to hide from Nazi soldiers; and that Suzanne was only 4 at the time the soldiers rounded up the disabled people in their village first, including her aunt who had a disability and who was never seen again.
One student said: “I feel like this experience changed me because knowing what everybody went through in the Holocaust, I want to be kind to everyone and not be prejudiced.”
Realistically, these 8th graders will probably be the last generation to meet actual Holocaust survivors. Because of that, these young people have now become ‘witnesses to the witnesses’. In light of our gospel, they have also now become salt and light witnesses of love and respect in our time of national unrest, antisemitism, and racial discrimination.
Last Sunday was also Pentecost. Because of the Holy Spirit in our own lives, we can renew our spirit and recommit to be salt and light, bearers and witnesses of the Good News to a broken world. In whatever circumstances we find ourselves each day, may we be this salt and light by our kindness, understanding and concern for others so that we may glorify God and never do anything to dim someone else’s light.
