At the heart of the Christian religion is the passionate pursuit of God, and the transformation of the soul that we elicit through our pursuit of, and engagement with, God. Religion that leaves behind this passionate pursuit for simply “feeling happy” or energized, or being “right”, or to acquire power to change others, abandons its power to guide us to either God or a life of happiness, joy, and purposeful meaning.

Jesus talks about “looking back” after having put your hand to the plow of pursuing God, or refusing to carry our cross, and many other metaphors, to teach us this. The God that he taught us to pursue with all of our heart, soul, mind, and strength is that God who is Love: self-giving, never ending, never diminishing Love. He taught us that God, who is Love, loves us completely and eternally. He taught us that if we will accept this as the central Truth of creation, we will be liberated, transformed, and set free in the Love of God. He taught us that the hallmark of this would be our willingness to love every human person, all made in the image of God. If we will love in the same self-giving Love that he showed us in his life and death, the present power of God will give us the strength to do it.

Christian religion that is fulfilling its purpose continues to point us to the God who is Love, who is abba – Father – and provides companions for the journey, the ability to diagnose and correct our progress through the Holy Scriptures and the community of thexFaith, and gives us the tools and structure to practice and implement our passionate pursuit of Love through serving our sisters and brothers in providing shelter, nourishment, healing, and restoration to community. Christians religion that is fulfilling its purpose also provides rest and healing for the injuries that accompany carrying the cross. Christian religion that is true also provides us with the conditions to experience moments of luminosity, beauty, and transcendence, providing consolation and strength to continue through the worship of the God who is Love.

Does your religion or religious community continuously point you to this God? Does it provide you with the teaching and tools, and the company of others, to passionately pursue Love? Does it celebrate your ongoing transformation, and help you to continue in times of trouble or sorrow?

Or, does your religion or religious community instead simply attempt to make you “feel good”, or powerful, or wealthy, or “right”? Does your religion leave you perpetually in a spiritually childish state, subject to your feelings or to the feelings/domination of others?

Which will you choose? Which will we choose?

Today, the world has sore need of those who choose to be agents of peace and reconciliation. Whether you are a person of faith, or of none, or are in between and uncertain, choose to be a healer today. Choose hope over fear. Be engaged. You can be a bearer of God’s Love and Light!

We may open ourselves to the Spirit of God so that we may be transformed – not for ourselves and our own benefit, but because the world has desperate need of it. The Divine Life strives for fulfillment of Creation’s best potential, of our healing, and we who so choose the path of the Spirit are called to aid in that transformation. Today, heal others with the Love of God that knows no bounds!

Fr. Troy