From: Rev. Robert Francis Johnnene SFI <mailto:Mission_St_Sergius@msn.com>
Date: 11-Apr-2006 16:46
Subject: What Distinguishes a Christian?
To:
What Distinguishes a Christian?
A Reflection for Tuesday April 11, 2006
In these final days of Lent and after reading the gospel for today, I began to think about how we betray Christ with our unchristian actions. All around us we see and hear of things being put forth by governments, churches and individual people that fly in the face of what we as Christians are supposed to be doing.
A few years back there was a song sung often in church that said; "They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love".
We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord, We are one in the Spirit, we are one in the Lord, And we pray that all unity may one day be restored, And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
They will know we are Christians by our love, We will work with each other, we will work side by side, We will work with each other, we will work side by side, And we'll guard each one's dignity and save each one's pride, And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
REFRAIN: They will know we are Christians by our love, by our love, by our love
And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love.
They will know we are Christians by our love. We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand, We will walk with each other, we will walk hand in hand, And together we'll spread the news that God is in our land, And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love REFRAIN
Love is patient, love is kind, Never boasts, not full of pride, Always hopes, always trusts, The evidence of Christ in us. They will know we are Christians by our love, By our love, by our love, And they'll know we are Christians by our love, by our love, They will know we are Christians by our love. REFRAIN
What has happened to this basic concept of the Christian faith? Instead of working together for a better world we seem to be fighting each other. Instead of Guarding everyone's dignity and saving each one's pride we seem to be degrading people because of how God created them. People seem to be so wrapped up in themselves and in acquiring material goods and wealth that they have lost sight of the poor and needy, We have a government that wants to enforce their will on other nations and cultures. We want to prevent people from receiving medical help unless they can prove they are citizens. These are not the qualities of a people who are supposed to have compassion, mercy, forgiveness and love for ALL God's children. When did the basic Christian ideals change?
In these final days before the Passover feast is celebrated on Thursday, the moment that Jesus gave us a lasting memorial to his being and gave us the Bread of life in the Eucharist, And before Good Friday when Christ took upon himself the sins of the world and put them to death, a death on the cross, I think we need to examine our individual life styles to determine if we are living the truths Christ taught us. Ask ourselves if we practice in our daily lives the compassion, forgiveness, mercy, generosity that Christ told us to live.
Let us prepare ourselves to welcome the Resurrection of Christ on Sunday with a resolve to live our lives more in keeping with Christ's teachings and more like the song so that, All will know us as Christians by our love for all of God's Children not just a select few. The evidence of Christ in us will be if we remember that,. Love is patient, love is kind, Never boasts, is not full of pride, Always hopes, always trusts, always put faith in God to do the correct thing. AMEN
Rev. Robert Francis Johnnene
Mission Sts. Sergius and Bacchus
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