To Know God

   “If we pray, we will believe.  If we believe, we will love.  If we love, we will serve.”  (Saint Mother Teresa of Calcutta, “Thirsty for God”)

   God cannot be known by reason alone.  We must experience Him.  We must taste and see the goodness of the Lord.

   Study of scripture and theology is a wonderful thing.  Studying the lives of the Saints and holy men and women can be inspiring.  But the intellectual knowledge of God does not make us Christian.  To be Christian we must know our Lord on a personal basis; as a trusted friend who is always there for us.  He must be the focus of our life.

   Simply knowing that Jesus died on the cross for our sins, offering salvation to those who believe will not make us Christians.  We must delve into His suffering and  contemplate the great price He paid for us.  We must understand and be sorrowful for our sins; the sins He died for.  We must accept the redemption He offers.

Sitting in a pew each Sunday, singing the hymns, listening to scripture and the homily are a wonderful ways to get to know our Lord.  But even that is insufficient if that is all we do.  To be Christian we must take our faith with us when we leave church.  We must carry Christ within us and share His love and mercy with everyone we meet.

   To better know God requires faith, dedication, and perseverance.  He must be foremost in our hearts and in our mind.  His will has to be the guiding light for our life; seeking His way in all things.  It must be a personal relationship that we strive in every way to grow and strengthen.

   We can take courage and comfort from the fact that He is with us in all things.  Regardless of the events of this life, God is there, helping us in the difficult times, encouraging us in our efforts to serve Him.  When we stumble and sin, He is there to forgive us.

   We must not only know about God we must experience Him in our life.  He is always present to us and we are to be present to Him as well.  Love Him, know Him, experience Him.

Lord, help us to know You.

Teach us Your ways.

Amen