Christians must restore their spiritual and moral unity. It is not enough to say we are Christians. We must live as Christians. Genuine Christians derive the rule, style, and strength of their life from the Faith. ~ Pope Paul VI
Scripture Text: Phil 2:12-18
My beloved, obedient as you have always been,
not only when I am present but all the more now when I am absent,
work out your salvation with fear and trembling.
For God is the one who, for his good purpose,
works in you both to desire and to work.
Do everything without grumbling or questioning,
that you may be blameless and innocent,
children of God without blemish
in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation,
among whom you shine like lights in the world,
as you hold on to the word of life,
so that my boast for the day of Christ may be
that I did not run in vain or labor in vain.
But, even if I am poured out as a libation
upon the sacrificial service of your faith,
I rejoice and share my joy with all of you.
In the same way you also should rejoice and share your joy with me.
Our contemporary culture is becoming more and more secular.
It ignores -- and even openly disparages -- worldviews that include God, Jesus and religious values. Tragically more and more Christians, influenced by secular culture, are embracing agnostic and secular worldviews and abandoning commitment to God, Jesus and church.
Following Jesus as his disciple was not easy then and is not easy now!
We Christians are challenged to resist the secular conditioning of our culture and to become forthright in committing ourselves openly to following Jesus. Not unlike the first followers of Jesus, we too risk criticism as we openly witness to the centrality of Jesus in our lives to our families, friends and communities.
But the Lord's presence in our lives makes it all worthwhile.
Be "set aflame and burning bright" (Jn 5:35) with the light of Christ. Remembering always, "The light shines on in darkness, a darkness that did not overcome it" (Jn 1:5).
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