To Abide In Him We Ought To
WALK JUST AS HE WALKED
WALK JUST AS HE WALKED
Our claim to be
Christians is how we treat others.
Saint John wrote
that we can be sure that we know Jesus Christ if we keep His commandments of
love. We can only be sure that we understand the love that Jesus has for us if
we practice that love within our own hearts. What does it mean to love someone
unconditionally as Jesus loves us? First, we must try it, and then this
experience will give us at least some idea of what it means in life. What does it
mean to include everyone in our love, making it universal, as Jesus does? Saint
John tells us to try it, and this experience will bring clarity and depth to
our understanding of the universal love of our heavenly Father.
It is all about a
divine dignity and destiny for human beings, which is a major theme during this
Christmas season in the writings attributed to John. The dignity of sharing
God's life and light can only survive if we see that same dignity in others.
Without love for our sisters and brothers, our claim to this dignity is a lie.
To say we know God and not keep the commandments is to lie; to claim to be in
the light while hating others means we are really still in darkness. As sharers
in God's life our true test of dignity - our genuineness of our fellowship -
happens when we come together at worship. Our claim to be Christians is how we
treat others. To see the glory shining around others because of God's grace
requires treating them with respect, being concerned about their needs and
pains, and sensitive to their hurts and sorrows.
In the Responsorial
Psalm we acclaim, "Let the heavens be glad and the earth rejoice" (Ps
96:11a)! We are called to a newness of life, singing a new song. Jesus Christ
teaches us to live a new life each day and each moment with all the freshness
of dawn. Yes, a new song, a new life, a new dawn, a new breath and a new
strength behind each step. This brings a new hope in life.
Saint John gave us
this challenge today and for everyday of our lives: To abide in Him we must
walk just as He walked.