Living the Word of God – Fr. Seraphim Maria, CSE
Quite often we encounter teachings about the "true" ways of life. There are many interesting presentations on the mass media. Also there many teachings on the meanings of our lives. However, we are often confused. Is that the true teaching? Is the teaching parallel in our faith? What should we have do? We have to come to Jesus, our Lord!
We have to come to Jesus. What does it mean? Why do we have to believe in Him? It is because the Word of God is the Spirit who gives the eternal life. In the midst of doubts even rejection toward Jesus, because His disciples and many people had a hard time to accept that Jesus is the Bread from heaven who gives the eternal life. In the Gospel of John today, Jesus reconfirmed that His Word is the Spirit who gives the eternal life. Jesus asked the listener to believe in Him, so whoever listen to His words, and his disciples will live in his words (cf. John 6:63). Just like what the letter to the Hebrews:
“The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of man's heart” (Hebrews 4:12)
Therefore, in whatever condition, in joy and in sorrows, in good luck or in bad luck, we have to be brave to believe, to listen and live in God’s Words. Especially in difficult situation, in rejection by others, we got to believe in Jesus. We return to him to listen to His teaching and words that will give new understanding, new spiritual consolation and new strength to be faithful in our duties and responsibilities. It is moreover, in the delicate situation, we need to be brave and come to Jesus and ask Him: “Lord, Jesus Christ, help me. Lord Jesus, strengthen me. God, help me to be faithful to You.” Then, Jesus enlightens us in order for us to recognize and do His will. We will gratefully shout with the psalmist:
“Teach me, LORD, what you want me to do, and lead me along a safe path, because I have many enemies (Psalm 27:11)
Therefore, let us read attentively the Word of God in the Holy Bible. We can read from the book of Genesis to the Revelation. Every day we spent time to read 3-5 Chapters, then in about a year we can read the whole Bible. Of course, we don’t read just like that, but we need to meditate on the verses that touch us and give us deep impression in our hearts. Repeat those verses in your heart. Savor them in your heart. Let the words fill our hearts. Then the Word of God will guide us to do His will for us today, now and at this moment.
Indeed, reading the Bible is not easy. Therefore we need to be really faithful and diligent to spent the time amongst our daily busy activities to fulfill our family’s needs. And not all the language in the Bible is easy to understand. However, if we ask the presence and the guidance of the Holy Spirit before we read the Bible, then the Holy Spirit will help and guide us in our weaknesses and fragility. In the end, steps by steps we learn to live His Words.
Quite often we encounter teachings about the "true" ways of life. There are many interesting presentations on the mass media. Also there many teachings on the meanings of our lives. However, we are often confused. Is that the true teaching? Is the teaching parallel in our faith? What should we have do? We have to come to Jesus, our Lord!
We have to come to Jesus. What does it mean? Why do we have to believe in Him? It is because the Word of God is the Spirit who gives the eternal life. In the midst of doubts even rejection toward Jesus, because His disciples and many people had a hard time to accept that Jesus is the Bread from heaven who gives the eternal life. In the Gospel of John today, Jesus reconfirmed that His Word is the Spirit who gives the eternal life. Jesus asked the listener to believe in Him, so whoever listen to His words, and his disciples will live in his words (cf. John 6:63). Just like what the letter to the Hebrews:
“The word of God is alive and active, sharper than any double-edged sword. It cuts all the way through, to where soul and spirit meet, to where joints and marrow come together. It judges the desires and thoughts of man's heart” (Hebrews 4:12)
Therefore, in whatever condition, in joy and in sorrows, in good luck or in bad luck, we have to be brave to believe, to listen and live in God’s Words. Especially in difficult situation, in rejection by others, we got to believe in Jesus. We return to him to listen to His teaching and words that will give new understanding, new spiritual consolation and new strength to be faithful in our duties and responsibilities. It is moreover, in the delicate situation, we need to be brave and come to Jesus and ask Him: “Lord, Jesus Christ, help me. Lord Jesus, strengthen me. God, help me to be faithful to You.” Then, Jesus enlightens us in order for us to recognize and do His will. We will gratefully shout with the psalmist:
“Teach me, LORD, what you want me to do, and lead me along a safe path, because I have many enemies (Psalm 27:11)
Therefore, let us read attentively the Word of God in the Holy Bible. We can read from the book of Genesis to the Revelation. Every day we spent time to read 3-5 Chapters, then in about a year we can read the whole Bible. Of course, we don’t read just like that, but we need to meditate on the verses that touch us and give us deep impression in our hearts. Repeat those verses in your heart. Savor them in your heart. Let the words fill our hearts. Then the Word of God will guide us to do His will for us today, now and at this moment.
Indeed, reading the Bible is not easy. Therefore we need to be really faithful and diligent to spent the time amongst our daily busy activities to fulfill our family’s needs. And not all the language in the Bible is easy to understand. However, if we ask the presence and the guidance of the Holy Spirit before we read the Bible, then the Holy Spirit will help and guide us in our weaknesses and fragility. In the end, steps by steps we learn to live His Words.