From that time on, Jesus began to preach and say,
Matthew 4:17
“Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.”
Reflection
When John the Baptist is arrested, Jesus withdraws to Galilee and begins to preach, cure people, and tell them the Kingdom of heaven is at hand. Many come to him and Jesus’ fame spreads far and wide.
From the beginning of Jesus’ ministry, he preaches repentance. He tells people they must repent of their sins and turn to God, away from worldly vices. In today’s society, some people believe Jesus only teaches a message of love while not caring about sin. While he certainly does teach love, there are other important aspects Christ relays to us.
If we are to love Jesus properly, we must give up sinfulness. We can’t be attached to our sin if we want to truly and freely follow Christ. Jesus doesn’t simply say, “I love you and continue sinning.” He loves us, and because of this, pushes us to become holier by rejecting sin, growing in virtue, and dying to ourselves. Are you willing to do this to truly follow our Lord?
Saint of the Day
St. John Neumann: 1811 – 1860
| “God has created me to do Him some definite service. He has committed some work to me which He has not committed to another. I have my mission. I may never know it in this life, but I shall be told it in the next.” St. John Neumann |
The Healing Word 