By Stephen Steiniger
Our hearts are restless until they rest in the Lord. Jesus is our peace. He is our teacher and master. Jesus wants to share with us his Sabbath rest. The fullness of rest will enable us to be good citizens of Heaven and earth.
Jesus is the way, the truth, and the life. By his cross he bore our iniquities and has made the Beatific vision possible. With Jesus, the impossible becomes possible. Belief is not enough. Belief must be united to action. It is not the hearers of the Word that enter Eternal life. It is the doers.
We must be present with Jesus in the moment. Jesus is one with the Father. As such, he is one with the Divine will and substance. Jesus can share this substance with us if we follow him. When we journey with him, we are protected by his wisdom and authority.
The narrow way gives us the peace of Jesus. This is not the same peace as the peace of the world. This is the peace of the triumphant Jesus, the King of the World.
We do not want to be endlessly roaming the earth. We are to remain with Jesus on earth in spirit, as we make choices that reflect our desire for good and truth. Title and worldly authority do not bind us; we are bound to the universal values of Christianity. We are not to be blown around like a leaf in the wind. The mind of Christ is given to us to help set us free for the sake of being free and Eternal life. We are not subject to impulses and empty doctrines; we have an intellect and a will which empower us to love and be humble.
Through love and humility, the Christian puts on the mind of Christ and renders the enemy of his or her salvation powerless. But every day has its fair share of evil. We are not to be distracted or dismayed by the evil. Jesus already conquered the world and eagerly awaits the chance to help.
Morality is key to success and happiness. The goodness or evilness of our actions matter. Relevant considerations are as follows: the gravity of the action; our knowledge of the action; and our consent to the action.
Christianity involves labor and payment. There is a spiritual economy that exists. This economy requires justice. We are meant to give God his due; we are meant to give our neighbor his or her due. Our journey with Jesus doesn’t stop until our Eternal judgment. Up until this moment, we make decisions and strive for holiness. Every part of our journey is a gift from God. To not make an effort or to choose our own way is disrespectful and counterproductive.
Possing virtue and personal growth are essential to our journey. We should be aware of what is going on and how we should act. We must persevere in our daily duties. The daily cross is a real thing. We are not exempt from participating in reality.
Accepting God’s providence in our lives is essential to peace. Keeping the Sabbath, the holy day of rest, will lead to peace and prosperity. The Sabbath was made for humanity. It was made to make our lives better, not worse.
God is a loving and good God. He cannot help but be faithful to his own self. We can count on him to share his love and goodness. The key to rest and peace is remain with Him always.
LogoSophia Magazine 