Daily reflection _ help us restore our earth

HELP US RESTORE OUR FAITH
The love we are called to offer is Jesus' own love, a love that offers itself in openness and service to others.  
Deacon John Ruscheinsky
In today's Gospel Jesus shows us that our God is One Who heals, promises, gives freedom, hope and peace, helps restore relationships, and shows us true love. Jesus begins the proclamation of the Gospel here, in order to fulfill the Word of God. The Old Testament prophets spoke of God's promise to send a Redeemer Who would establish God's rule. His promise is now fulfilled in Jesus.
Jesus takes up John's message of repentance and calls disciples to believe in the Good News He has come to deliver. The Gospel is the power and wisdom of God; the power to change and transform our lives and the wisdom to show us how to live as sons and daughters of our heavenly Father. Through the Gift of the Holy Spirit, the Lord makes it possible for us to receive His Word with faith and to act upon it with trust. In announcing the Good News, Jesus made two demands: repent and believe. Repentance requires us to change our lives and transform our hearts and minds to that of Christ. The Holy Spirit gives us a repentant heart - true sorrow and hatred for sin and its consequences - and a firm resolution to avoid sin in the future. The Holy Spirit gives us grace to see our sin for what it is - the rebellion and rejection of the love of God. God's grace helps us to turn away from all that would keep us from His love.
Faith, or belief, is an entirely free gift given to us by God. Believing is only possible by grace and the help of the Holy Spirit Who moves the heart and converts it to God. God's Spirit opens the eyes of faith! The commandment in today's first reading tells us, "we should believe in the Name of His Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as He commanded us" (1 Jn 3:23). The love we are called to offer is Jesus' own love, a love that offers itself in openness and service to others.
We read today that many people came to Jesus and found healing from diseases and infirmities while in His care. By our loving service to others, we pray that God's love, which is made known in Jesus Christ, will also be made known through each one of us!