Thinking About Sunday

November 2, 2009.--Yesterday, Sunday, I listened to and later read through verses from Revelations,
and the gospels of St. John and St. Matthew. The text was filled with imagery to teach and to inspire. “Salvation comes from our God, who is seated on the throne, and from the Lamb.” Revelations reminds us. Last week while researching iconography and art associated with the church I read this chapter. Hearing it read aloud helped me to revisit my perception of God and his followers. The image of the Faithful and the sacrifices that are necessary, pain, distress, confusion are inevitable. But our belief in Jesus Christ provides hope and a path to follow. Our belief in Jesus Christ provides both instruction and inspiration. Our belief in Jesus Christ provides us with a simple way of living and being which when faithfully followed will lead us to heaven. Like the warm rays of a June sunrise, God’s love is prismatic and creates new and individual responses in all of us as we accept or not accept it, as we rest in it, as we find ways to share it with others who need it. And that is the true reason that we are Christians. Our lives should always reflect our love and belief in God. The message of Christ must be repeated and shared by each and everyone of us who believes. The message of Christ must be taught to all generations, young and old, as lessons to encourage intrinsic goodness and as lessons to challenge blindly living lives of current fashions, current trends, and ancient corruption, ancient sin. Often, psychiatry, science, and self help books have relegated sin away from the hearts and minds of men. Sin seems to only exist only in the murderer or terrorist or anyone opposed to our beliefs. Please do not let sin win this earthly battle and lead you into a de facto life of confusion, complacency. Please understand that we are all sinners, that we will struggle with the fact that we are sinners each day of our lives, and that we will ask God for forgiveness. We must remember to request forgiveness for ourselves, we must remember to offer forgiveness to others. Christianity exists beyond the sacred texts, Christianity exists within the hearts and minds of the believers. Christianity exists within each and everyone of us. If we are lucky, our hearts and souls will create a fertile, nurturing space for Christianity to grow and flourish within our lives.

We must always remember to pray to God and to give him thanks.

Human life is always going to be a time of uneasiness and struggle. Believing in God makes it just a little easier and provides hope.