Bishop Silvio Báez urges Christians to move beyond superficial faith and confront injustice, corruption, and abuse of power through active witness.
Newsroom (10/02/2026 Gaudium Press ) In a powerful sermon marked by its social urgency and moral clarity, Auxiliary Bishop of Managua Silvio Báez called on Christians to reject superficial faith and assume an active, courageous stance in the face of injustice, corruption, and the abuse of power. Drawing on the Gospel of the Beatitudes, Báez urged believers to embody the values of honesty, tenderness, and solidarity, reminding them that faith without social commitment risks becoming hollow and ineffectual.
During his homily, Báez reflected on the radical message of Jesus, who promises happiness to those who live “according to God’s logic.” The bishop emphasized that this choice is transformative—not only for the believer but also for history itself. Faith, he said, must be more than a private comfort; it must be a public light that exposes darkness and restores dignity to the oppressed.
“Salt of the Earth”: An Active Faith Against Corruption
Returning to one of the Gospel’s most vivid metaphors, Báez reminded his congregation that Christians are called to be “the salt of the earth.” For him, this phrase signifies an active duty: preserving what is good in humanity and preventing society from decaying under selfishness, deceit, and evil.
“We are the salt of the earth if we have a clean heart, renounce being accomplices of the corrupt, and fight for honesty and truth to prevail in our society,” he declared. Those who resist the temptations of power and wealth, he said, stand as signs of divine integrity in a world often mired in cynicism and greed.
Against Empty Faith: Rediscovering the Depth of Hope
In an emotive passage, Báez warned of the danger of “an empty faith”—a belief system incapable of giving life meaning or inspiring transformation. He called upon Christians to look inward, to rediscover that inner “handful of salt” which symbolizes hope and renewal.
“Let us not remain on the surface,” he said. “We will always discover in the depths of our hearts a handful of salt, with a new and crystalline flavor. We can always season life anew with an existence that reflects the strength and hope of Jesus.” His words carried both tenderness and conviction: God, he insisted, never discards those who strive for goodness, no matter how battered by despair they may be.
“Light of the World”: Illuminating the Darkness of Power
The bishop then turned to a second Gospel image—light. To be “the light of the world,” Báez explained, is to live with integrity, allowing one’s actions, not displays of religiosity, to reflect the Gospel. True light, he said, shines through simplicity, compassion for the vulnerable, and a relentless pursuit of justice.
“We illuminate the world through our simple and honest lives, our tenderness toward the most vulnerable, our capacity to always forgive, our tireless fight for justice, and our efforts to build bridges that lead to peace,” he proclaimed.
But that illumination must also be courageous. In one of the most direct moments of his homily, Báez addressed authoritarianism and repression without euphemism. “There is much darkness in the world that we must illuminate with the light of the Gospel,” he said. “We are the light of the world when we unmask the darkness of despotic and cruel power, which threatens, intimidates, and oppresses.”
Faith as a Communal Mission
Báez concluded with an appeal to collective discipleship. Christianity, he explained, is not an individual pursuit but a social and communal mission—one inseparable from solidarity and shared responsibility.
“We are called to be salt of the earth and light of the world,” he reminded, affirming that this vocation can only be lived through deep communion with Jesus. “The Lord is our strength and our light… In communion with Jesus, we will give new flavor to history, radiate the light of God in the world, and make our lives and the lives of others better.”
With his homily, Bishop Báez reaffirmed a central tenet of his ministry: that authentic faith must confront the moral decay of power and lift up the dignity of every human being. In a time marked by fear and silence, his words stand as both a challenge and an invitation—to be salt enough to preserve what is just, and light enough to expose what is not.
- Raju Hasmukh with files form 100% Noticias
Related Images:
