Just before Jesus ascended to heaven He gave us the mandate to continue His work of making the universe new through the preaching of the Gospel. Go into all the world and preach the gospel to the whole creation (Mark 16:15). Jesus began the work of making the universe new by taking to Himself our human nature and perfecting it through His Cross and Resurrection. We benefit from this Gospel - this Good News - in baptism, where we are not only recipients of this newness, but also become privileged participants in Jesus' work.
“Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.” It is not enough to believe this, we must also act on it; we must live our baptism. Our baptism provides the grace necessary for acting as our belief requires. Human skill and industry should be informed by the Gospel so that through sound government and culture we Christians can establish places where Satan is, as it were, expelled and the ravages of sickness - physical and spiritual - are healed. “But perhaps some one may say to himself, I have already believed, I shall be saved. He says what is true, if he keeps his faith by works; for that is a true faith, which does not contradict by its deeds what it says in words” (St. Gregory the Great).
Let us together renew our commitment to fulfill the mandate Jesus has given us. By sharing the Gospel of Jesus’ Cross and Resurrection and having that Gospel inform all of our endeavors, the whole creation will find healing and renewal. May it be said of us as it was said of Jesus’ first disciples: And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen (Mark 16:20).
David J. Conrad
“Save us, Savior of the world, for by your Cross and Resurrection you have set us free.” It is not enough to believe this, we must also act on it; we must live our baptism. Our baptism provides the grace necessary for acting as our belief requires. Human skill and industry should be informed by the Gospel so that through sound government and culture we Christians can establish places where Satan is, as it were, expelled and the ravages of sickness - physical and spiritual - are healed. “But perhaps some one may say to himself, I have already believed, I shall be saved. He says what is true, if he keeps his faith by works; for that is a true faith, which does not contradict by its deeds what it says in words” (St. Gregory the Great).
Let us together renew our commitment to fulfill the mandate Jesus has given us. By sharing the Gospel of Jesus’ Cross and Resurrection and having that Gospel inform all of our endeavors, the whole creation will find healing and renewal. May it be said of us as it was said of Jesus’ first disciples: And they went forth and preached everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that attended it. Amen (Mark 16:20).
David J. Conrad
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