Being Christian is Living for God
The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed
“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I shall want.”Ps. 23
A Christian understands certain fundamental truths that Christ came to reveal to us, and that we find clearly expressed in the New Testament. One of these truths is that we do not belong to ourselves — we belong to God. Jesus came to reveal to us the way, the truth, and the life that lead to the Father for all eternity. His entire life is a revelation of what God wants and of what we are called to live.
When He calls us to follow Him, He is calling us to imitate Him – to follow His path, His values, His truths, His way of living. That is why St. Paul also says: “Be imitators of me, as I am of Christ.” And both in the Old and New Testaments we are told: “Be holy, for 1 am holy. ” Therefore, we can be certain that being Christian means being disciples of Christ — His imitators, docile to His voice, faithful to His commandments and teachings.
“The love of Christ impels us, because we are convinced that one died for all; therefore all have died. And He died for all, so that those who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and was raised for them.”2 Corinthians 5:14-15
We do not belong to ourselves.
“If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord. So then, whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s.”Romans 14:7-8
This is what makes the difference between being worldly and being spiritual and heavenly — not so much by religious practices, but by a life docile to Jesus and His teachings.
“If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our dwelling with him.”John 14:23
Religious practices should help us live this faith in our daily life; otherwise, they serve no purpose or become a deceptive cover for a truly worldly life — even if it appears religious on the outside.
Living for God leads us to live for others, following the example and teaching of Jesus:
“If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. I have given you an example so that you should do as I have done for you.”John 13:14-15; see also Matthew 20:26
Two people may be doing the same thing, but one lives it as a Christian and the other does not — because one lives for God and for others, while the other lives selfishly, only for himself, seeking his own will rather than God’s. That is why Jesus said:
“That night two people will be in one bed; one will be taken and the other left. Two women will be grinding together; one will be taken and the other left.”Luke 17:34
To be Christian is to live in a way that pleases God. PREPARED FOR ETERNAL LIFE, AS CITIZENS OF HEAVEN.
Readings of the Week
Sunday: Wis 3:1-9/Ps 23:1-3a, 3b-4, 5, 6/Rom 5:5-11 or Rom 6:3-9/Jn 6:37-40
Monday: Rom 11:29-36/Ps 69:30-31, 33-34, 36/Lk 14:12-14
Tuesday: Rom 12:5-16b/Ps 131:1bcde, 2, 3/Lk 14:15-24
Wednesday: Rom 13:8-10/Ps 112:1b-2, 4-5, 9/Lk 14:25-33
Thursday: Rom 14:7-12/Ps 27:1bcde, 4, 13-14/Lk 15:1-10
Friday: Rom 15:14-21/Ps 98:1, 2-3ab, 3cd-4/Lk 16:1-8
Saturday: Rom 16:3-9, 16, 22-27/Ps 145:2-3, 4-5, 10-11/Lk 16:9-15
Next Sunday: Ez 47:1-2, 8-9, 12/Ps 46:2-3, 5-6, 8-9/1 Cor 3:9c-11, 16-17/Jn 2:13-22
Observances for the Week
Sunday: The Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed (All Souls)
Monday: St. Martin de Porres, Religious
Tuesday: St. Charles Borromeo, Bishop; Election Day
Next Sunday: The Dedication of the Lateran Basilica
