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One Bread, One Body - Reflection for June 25, 2006

A CONVINCED CHRISTIAN

"The love of Christ impels us who have reached the conviction that since One died for all, all died." –2 Corinthians 5:14

When we have reached the conviction that since One died for all, all died, three things happen:

1. We no longer live for ourselves but for Him Who died for us (2 Cor 5:15).
2. We no longer look on anyone, including Jesus, "in terms of mere human judgment" (2 Cor 5:16).
3. We are impelled by love rather than motivated by a mixture of fear, pride, and pressure (2 Cor 5:14).

Obviously, reaching this conviction of Jesus' death and our death with Him is one of the most important breakthroughs in a person's life. Every Christian should have this realization, but clearly many do not, or we would live no longer for ourselves.

Right now, ask the Holy Spirit to take you to the cross. Through the cross, the world will be crucified to you and you to the world (Gal 6:14). The Spirit will confirm, as only He can, that we who have given our lives to the Lord have been crucified with Him (Rm 6:6) and thereby have crucified our flesh with its passions and desires (Gal 5:24). We can "reach this conviction" only by the Spirit. When we do, we become a Christian not only in name but in attitude, motivation, and goals. We live no longer for self but for Jesus.

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Acknowledgement

Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:

· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College