The following statements or sayings are familiar to
us, “put your money where your mouth is,” or “don’t just talk the talk, but
walk the walk.” But phrases or
sentiments refer to action backing up what we say. If I tell you one thing but do another I make
myself a hypocrite or if I am just all words with no action I am like a loud
noise that is simple just annoying.
In our Catholic belief we understand that actions
must accompany words otherwise that faith, which is all words is just a dead
faith (c.f. James chapter 2). In today’s
Gospel from John, Jesus says, “Whoever loves me will keep my word.” I liken it
to a spouse who tells his wife from the altar “I do” but then does very little
or next to nothing to make that vow a reality.
That would not be love in any way shape or form; rather it would be an
empty promise.
Other Christians have taken on the notion that faith
and accepting the Lord Jesus is pivotal for one’s salvation and that once
someone does that and if their conversion was real and true then naturally they
will produce good works and try live by Jesus’ words, if the person is a
complete opposite of what they proclaimed originally then they were never saved
to begin with. That is all nice neat,
but what happens when it is someone who seems to have been good and holy and
then falls from grace, i.e. Jimmy Swagart or Jim Baker (two former Evangelists),
caught cheating on their wives?
I am not saying that they are not Christian, they
may very well actually be and their fall from grace is no different than any
other sinner, but it is perseverance through all my falls that proves my love
for God and His love for me. It is a relationship
based on a journey of a lifetime, yes one that has high moments throughout,
i.e. sacraments, reversion or conversion moments, etc. but it can never be just
one moment or just one magical saying, it must be perseverance in God’s Word
and commandments, especially the two greatest commandments.
Remember: Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever
loves me will keep my Word . . . “
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