Steadfast Faith and Love
(Acts 16:1-10; Psalm 100; Jn 15:18-21)
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In the gospel, Jesus warns that as he was misunderstood and persecuted, his followers will also be misunderstood and persecuted.
We must pray for the faith to stay faithful in the light of that persecution.
Karl Rahner, commenting on Jesus’ prayer on the cross, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do,” maintains they did know what they were doing – they were killing an innocent man. What they did not know, he maintains, is how much God loved them.
Throughout all of history, it is evident what the world really understands, and loves, is the false gods of possessions, prestige and power – the exact temptations that Jesus faced in the desert. Grounded in the Father’s love for him, and his intimate relationship with the Father, Jesus was able to face down and say no to these temptations. He knew how much he was loved by the Father.
We will be faced with those same temptations and false gods every day, as our culture is blatantly in love with those false gods. Thomas Keating describes them as an inordinate attachment to survival and security, affection and esteem, power and control. When these needs are unmet in our lives, they tend to take over, control us and eventually, even addict us.
There is a growing fear in our society of the so-called Illumentiand a New World Order. A quick check of You Tube will reveal how very present that fear is, with video after video claiming many stars and celebrities of this world are involved in very cultish rituals and activities, pressured into even eating human feces, drinking their own urine, and drinking the blood of babies! All for the sake of selling their souls to Satan in exchange for success, fame and power.
It seems surreal, but when one thinks of the power of these false gods to seduce us – and that is happening all the time, perhaps these claims are not so far fetched.
The best and really only antidote to this pervasive and even diabolical force that Jesus warned us about, is to have our love needs – our need to beloved, to belong and to be valued, met. That happens best in loving families were there is unconditional love, demonstrations of affection, honest and open communication, and forgiveness of the hurts of family life. Akin to that is a close, intimate, prayerful relationship with the love of the Father through a close, intimate, prayerful relationship with his Son, Jesus Christ.
The Eucharist is our greatest prayer and the one true ritual that does not enslave us to false gods but rather fills us with the love of the one true God. It sets us free to give our lives away in love, complete with the peace and joy that comes from doing the Father’s will in our lives.
Well yes, I agree totally with your message in having love and deepen our faith in inheriting and believing in one true God as the father, the son and the Holy Spirit. The true God can resolve any problems we face everyday and heal us from any sickness we still have. If we choose to follow false Gods our sins and faults will remain the same because this is what Satan likes. The Satan always tempted us in selling our souls to gain power and success. The devil wants us to do evil deeds and always having negative thoughts . This is desolation , walking in the wrong path when you suppose to walk towards the light which is the Holy Spirit. It’s God and Jesus Christ that can perform all miracles if we believe in him . Amen. Blessings !
The Eucharist represents Jesus Christ once the bread and wine is transform into the body and blood of Christ. Once we receive the communion Jesus is with us and helping us. Thanks Bishop Lavoie for the message in believing in the only God . May we always have joy . Love and peace as we spread the News. Bravo, Des Coloures.