Alex,
"Professor Dan??" Alex, you're too much, but perhaps someday I'll get a job in academia
This week is finals, so I'm a bit bogged-down-- I graduate in two weeks with my BA in Religious Studies (finally, thought the day would never come!!) I'm going for my Masters this coming fall with a concentration in Eastern Christian Studies from the U. of Scranton.
So, here's what I know of the use of salt in the Latin Church. It is sometimes blessed and mixed with the water in the "Asperges" at beginning of Mass(as per Sacramentary), at Baptism a small portion used to be placed in the mouth of the infant (the new ritual doesn't have this practice included--- I've paged through and can't find it listed).
It would seem that the salt is/was used as both a cleansing element (salt purifies and can kill things ie: make pure), as well as the symbolism of being the light of the world. The sacramentary lists the prayer of the salt in the Asperges as follows:
"Almighty God, we ask you to bless this salt as once you blessed the salt scattered over the water by the prophet Elisha. Wherever this salt and water are sprinkled, drive away the power of evil, and protect us always by the presence of your Holy Spirit."
Hope this info. helps-- have to hit the books, finals draweth nigh (after finals, I'm going to "hit the books" so hard, they will shatter into little pieces, then I'll scatter the remains as Elisha scattered the salt
).
Dan
), there was a beautiful ceremony at the papal Mass during Whirled Yoot Hey in Toronto involving the blessing of large blocks of salt for just the very meaning and reason that you gave.