Monday, May 17, 2010

"What are you seeking?"

For those who believe, those who have experienced, even to a small degree, God's love for them, there is a manner of living that prompts him to follow Jesus. This was the experience of the first disciples: "The next day again John was standing with two of his disciples, and he looked at Jesus as he walked by and said, 'Behold, the Lamb of God!' The two disciples heard him say this, and they followed Jesus. Jesus turned and saw them following and said to them, 'What are you seeking?' And they said to him, 'Rabbi'(which means Teacher), 'where are you staying?' He said to them, 'Come and you will see'"


So, while morality has its place, to act in a truly moral manner is always to act out of love towards God and neighbor. It is never a matter of empty rule-following in the fear that hell awaits should you slip up; this is anti-thetical to living like a Christian: "There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love" (John 1:35-39). Until you experience the event that truly becomes for you an encounter that changes everything, you can perhaps live in a way that society sees as being upright, but such is not necessarily Christian living. Being an upright citizen, as the writings of St. Paul demonstrate, is only a by-product of being a Christian, but is not the church's primary concern, which is to usher in God's kingdom, to walk our path to destiny.

Alithos Anesti

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