Main news for 1 May 2007

Luke gives here a definition of the fullness of Christian life. Indeed, if the essence of this life is union with God, the acceptance of His presence and action in each of our days, then where and in what has He left us this presence and action of His? You will say, everywhere? This is true, but such His presence is "diffuse," non-personal; it does not imply personal relationship with Him. Then you will say, in Jesus Christ? Yes, for He is with us "all the days until the end of the age." He is the Word of God who came in the flesh, and He remains with us in the Word of God, in the Bible. Luke calls this the "teaching of the Apostles," because precisely the apostolic perception of the Old Testament and the apostolic testimony about Christ are our Bible. Where else do we meet Christ? Of course, in prayer. In prayer addressed to Him, and in prayer to the Father that we share with the Son. And there is a special presence of Christ in His Body and Blood, in the eucharistic meal, the "breaking of bread." And finally, let us recall Jesus' words that "as you did it to one of the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." This means that there is His presence in every person we meet, and there is His special action in those who "received the Holy Spirit when they believed." Therefore "fellowship," brotherly love, mutual help, is also a meeting with Christ and the acceptance of Him into one's life. Let us pay attention to all these "channels of communication," without trying to "push forward" some of them at the expense of others; let us try to live not "either-or," but "both-and."