What does it mean to be a real Christian, 2

JESUS went to the synagogue in his hometown of Nazareth, where he read the scroll with the words of the Prophet Isaiah:

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”

There and then, he took Isaiah’s words upon himself and made them his own. He said: “These words are being fulfilled as you heard them being read.” His mission was and is to bring good news to the poor, the downtrodden, the exploited, the abused and the trafficked. The good news is God is with them to free them from poverty and injustice.

This mission must continue, and we should stand with the jailed, dedicated human rights advocates, environmental workers, and the falsely accused and unjustly imprisoned for doing good and saving creation. He brings freedom from ignorance, falsehood and corruption with the truth. He said: “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life.”

Jesus challenges us to follow him and bring freedom to victims of slavery, sex trafficking, sexual abuse, exploitation and poverty. He challenges us to give sight to the blind by teaching the truth and enlightening them with it. By following his example, we have another way for humankind to live in harmony and peace, show mutual respect, treat all equally, and love and care for each other with compassion and justice.

Faith is believing with conviction that doing good, working for justice, and caring for the poor and abused would one day overcome wrongdoing, injustice and evil. That is Jesus’ mission, and he wants his followers to imitate his example.

A true Christian will strive to do their best to serve Jesus and fulfill his mission in their daily lives. We have to share our time, efforts, skills and wealth with the poor in ways to lift them out of poverty and pain by working to create an equal and just society.

We are also challenged to imitate him: “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. (John 13:34).”

When he was asked how we are to love one another and our neighbor, he told the story of the Good Samaritan, who sacrificed his wealth to save the life of a wounded stranger. To be a true Christian, we, too, should do the same./PN

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