Quia Amasti Me, Fecisti Me Amabilem. (in

We Are Enveloped In Peace, Whether Or Not We Feel Ourselves To Be At Peace. By That I Mean The Peace That Passes Understanding Is Not A Subjective Sensation Of Peace; If We Are In Christ, We Are In Peace Even When We Feel No Peace.

The Noonday Devil Of The Christian Life Is The Temptation To Lose The Inner Self While Preserving The Shell Of Edifying Behavior. Suddenly I Discover That I Am Ministering To Aids Victims To Enhance My Resume. I Find I Renounced Ice Cream For Lent To Lose Five Excess Pounds... I Have Fallen Victim To What T.s. Eliot Calls The Greatest Sin: To Do The Right Thing For The Wrong Reason.

Let Us Be Bold Enough To Ask Ourselves As Christians Whether The Church Of The Lord Jesus In The United States Has Anything To Say To Our Nation And Its Ideologies Of Materialism, Possessiveness, And The Worship Of Financial Security. Are We Courageous Enough To Be A Sign Of Contradiction To Consumerism Through Our Living Faith In Jesus Christ? Are We Committed Enough To His Gospel To Become A Countercurrent To The Drift?

The Forgiveness Of God Is Gratuitous Liberation From Guilt. Paradoxically, The Conviction Of Personal Sinfulness Becomes The Occasion Of Encounter With The Merciful Love Of The Redeeming God. "there Will Be More Rejoicing In Heaven Over One Sinner Repenting..." (luke 15:7). In His Brokenness, The Repentant Prodigal Knew An Intimacy With His Father That His Sinless, Self-righteous Brother Would Never Know.

The Christ Within Who Is Our Hope Of Glory Is Not A Matter Of Theological Debate Or Philosophical Speculation. He Is Not A Hobby, A Part-time Project, A Good Theme For A Book, Or A Last Resort When All Human Effort Fails. He Is Our Life, The Most Real Fact About Us. He Is The Power And Wisdom Of God Dwelling Within Us.