The opening
sentences of the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans, today,
speaks of his task of bringing about, among the Roman people, “the obedience of
faith” so that holiness can be achieved
among these people. Then he offers them grace
and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
The obedience of faith spoken
of is the elemental Christian principle of action/response. God (acts) gives
the gift of the ability to see and experience everything on a deeper and
supernatural level; but the gift has to be actively received and put into
practice, and that is what is called faith. Faith is our grateful response to
God’s offer of friendship and life.
And so not only
to the Romans, but
to everyone, everywhere this gift is offered – through the preaching and
teaching of the ministers of the Gospel – and now today it is up to us to hear
these words, to open our hearts, to respond with generosity and love and to
live out what we hear.
And the grace
and peace from God and
Jesus will be with us too as we do it. These will be the true sign that
these supernatural things are happening: not some preconceived, concocted,
earthbound notion which allows the non-repentant to get a very false sense of
security being a member of an evil generation that can bring anyone down in an
instant.
We have someone
greater than all the false gods of this age to lead us and guide us – if only we look up and away from
ourselves!
May grace and
peace saturate our lives today, because we are in harmony with God – and with one another!
If today you hear his voice, harden
not your hearts.
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