A couple weeks ago I learned a secret about a friend of mine. It was something I was shocked she and many of my other friends had kept secret for quite some time because she was afraid of me. She was simply afraid that I would judge her. I was so hurt by learning about this whole thing and at quite a loss for what to do about it. How could she every think that I would judge her?! I texted another friend about that part and her response was not the one I was suspecting. She simply wrote back something like, “I guess that means that as Christians we need to be more obvious about sharing God’s love.”
Apparently that was just the thing. Friend #1 had thought that just because my faith is so deep that I would judge her, yet here is my other friend pointing out an excellent truth. We do need to care more about living out our Lord’s gospel of love. How often do we let moments slip by us that are opportune for such acts or words of love? How crazy has Christianity gotten that friends are afraid to share a part of themselves because they think others will judge them? This is not Christianity. The Christian lifestyle is one that is a manifestation of love, yet it has turned into one that is full of controversy and disputes.
Throughout the New Testament we learn that “God is love” (1Jn3), God loves us, everything God does is for love of us, and since we are made in His image- we are alive for the purpose of love. I believe it was St. Augustine who wrote, “We should preach the gospel at all times, and only use words when necessary.” What has happened to us? Christianity is not just a believe system or list of truths, but it is a lifestyle. A Christian is someone who lives the Christian lifestyle, although it must be remembered that Christ came to call sinners just as a doctor comes to heal the sick. Still though, what’s happened to us and how culture views us?
It was hard not to notice at World Youth Day just how many we, the youth, are. We are the youth, we are tomorrow, and we are followers of Christ. It is so easy for us to be our true selves with others like us but when it comes to truly preaching the Gospel we get scared. We go lame. If we are truly tomorrow and we truly want there to be a better tomorrow then we need to step up our game, pick up our cross, and rely on the strength of our Lord for guidance. Mother Angelic once said, “Unless you are willing to do the ridiculous, God will not do the miraculous.” How ridiculously in living out love are we willing to be?
and so to you, here is some love and warm wishes!
No comments:
Post a Comment