Dear Friends in Christ,
My friends, we believe that Christ suffered, died and rose out of love for us. We believe that God is all about love. We believe that God calls us to love. Jesus said,
"I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."
Part of what it means to have faith is to abide by what faith mandates. Our faith is more than just believing that there is a God. Our faith mandates that we abide by what our God is all about. God is only about love. God is only about calling each of us into a union of love with each other and with Divine love. God is about all that is good and true and full of light and life. Therefore, like the disciples of old, we are "commended to the grace of God for the work" that needs to be accomplished. What is that work? The work of faith is shown by how well we put into practice the love of God through our interaction with others. Through our good works, we show the face of Jesus to everyone we encounter. The work of faith requires a commitment and a diligence to fulfill the mandate and will of the Father, which we pray for each time we proclaim the "Our Father." The work of faith is more than words and always shows itself in deeds.
Living one's faith each day is not an easy task. The early followers of Christ understood that living one's faith would bring suffering. From the Acts of the Apostles, we are told that Paul and Barnabas challenged many disciples to not lose hope. "They strengthened the spirits of the disciples and exhorted them to persevere in the faith, saying, "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the kingdom of God."
If there is some suffering that comes about because one chooses to follow the path of Christ, such suffering will only give way to the incredible promise of eternal life. People of faith know that God promises more than what the eye can see and the ear can hear in this world. From the Book of Revelation, John tells us that he "saw a new heaven and a new earth. The former heaven and the former earth had passed away, and the sea was no more." He further tells us that he "heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there shall be no more death or mourning, wailing or pain, for the old order has passed away." "The One who sat on the throne said, "Behold, I make all things new."
Only you can respond to the grace of faith by your willingness to live your faith. Faith is always more than words. It requires action. The blessings can only come by your willingness to say YES and respond. Pray for the grace to respond to God's call.
Sincerely yours in Christ,
Father Tarantino
Pastor
