Recently it seems like I have been hearing the same thing over and over again.
All Jesus wanted us to do was love others.
Jesus just wants us to do good works like he did.
As long as you are a good person, you don't need all the 'stories' from the bible.
I seem to be hearing these kinds of messages everywhere. And then I read Matthew 25:34-36.
Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.'
This passage seems to be saying that it is your good works that get you into heaven. He says nothing about their dogma or what their theory of God is. They did good works so they are blessed.
So what does this mean? It doesn't matter if we believe in God? It doesn't matter if we pray or participate in mass? It doesn't matter if we are Christian? As long as we love and serve others we are all set?
Well I know that this is not exactly true so I had to read farther. I started reading "Credo for Today" by Pope Benedict XVI. He does stress the importance of love. In his first chapter he states that love is enough. but then he goes on to explain that we alone as humans can not love perfectly and will always fall short.
This is why we need faith.
Dear Lord, Help me to love and serve others but never loose sight of you.
Joining up with Jen in the Soli Deo Gloria link up.
