How to Believe?

Jesus,

I love you so very much. I remember what my life was like when you were not in it. I remember how I held you at arms length. I remember how I felt cold and alone. Remember how I tried to consumes things of this world, but nothing satisfied. Thank you for being in my life. Thank you for not giving up on me. There are so many I'm my brothers and sisters in the world who are lost, Cold, and alone. I offer up on my works ,joys, sufferings and happiness of this day to those who do not have you in their lives. May you shine brightly for them and may they come to you, meet you and experience your love. I asked that you this Still on them the grace to have great faith, so that they may find their place in this world and live with you in eternity in heaven forever more.

In Jesus Christ name I pray,

Amen.

Galatians 3:7-14

Brothers and sisters: Realize that it is those who have faith who are children of Abraham. Scripture, which saw in advance that God would justify the Gentiles by faith, foretold the good news to Abraham, saying, Through you shall all the nations be blessed. Consequently, those who have faith are blessed along with Abraham who had faith. For all who depend on works of the law are under a curse; for it is written, Cursed be everyone who does not persevere in doing all the things written in the book of the law. And that no one is justified before God by the law is clear, for the one who is righteous by faith will live. But the law does not depend on faith; rather, the one who does these things will live by them. Christ ransomed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written, Cursed be everyone who hangs on a tree, that the blessing of Abraham might be extended to the Gentiles through Christ Jesus, so that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

How to believe? As I ponder the question it seems so daunting, but on some lows it seems so simple. It's simple now because I have faith, I do believe. But I can also recall the days, when I did not have Jesus in my life. At the time I thought life was okay. I had a good job, I had friends and I had the comforts of a modern, worldly lifestyle. Truth was though, I was hollow and I was broken. I was not satisfied. I was overweight (and I still am) and I ate for pleasure hoping that I might just eat enough to be happy. I drink way too much alcohol. Part of me thought that alcohol made me feel free. When I was, "under the influence" I was numb to all my worries of the world. I was blind to the fact though that I was slave and that I was burying my head in the sand. I had friends who I cared for, and I think they cared for me, but I'll be honest I use people. I used people to make me feel good about myself by being in their company. I had no true compassion for them. Worst of all I use the beautiful woman that I met as things instead of seeing them as the beautiful daughters of our Lord that they are. In these days something kept stirring inside of me. Deep down I knew something wasn't right, and when I allowed myself to be honest with myself, I acknowledged I was truly not happy. I had tried it all, what else was there to do. I will never forget that night, sitting in my living room, all alone. I had nowhere else to go so I prayed to that Jesus guy that I'd heard of so much. I suppose I was lucky, drying up my grandmother and my mother made sure that I made it to church nearly every Sunday. At any rate, it was probably the most bumbling yet honest prayer I ever made. True that prayer I opened my heart, mind, eyes and years the word and love of God. It was a long road, and really I'm still on it. I am better than I once was, but I am still a sinner. Each day I go out and I do my best to do God's will. When I fall I get up, I repent and I do penance. Most importantly I go through my days looking to love others and constantly opening my heart to God through prayer in all that I do.

Luke 11:15-26

When Jesus had driven out a demon, some of the crowd said: "By the power of Beelzebul, the prince of demons, he drives out demons." Others, to test him, asked him for a sign from heaven. But he knew their thoughts and said to them, "Every kingdom divided against itself will be laid waste and house will fall against house. And if Satan is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand? For you say that it is by Beelzebul that I drive out demons. If I, then, drive out demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your own people drive them out? Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I drive out demons, then the Kingdom of God has come upon you. When a strong man fully armed guards his palace, his possessions are safe. But when one stronger than he attacks and overcomes him, he takes away the armor on which he relied and distributes the spoils. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not gather with me scatters. "When an unclean spirit goes out of someone, it roams through arid regions searching for rest but, finding none, it says, 'I shall return to my home from which I came.' But upon returning, it finds it swept clean and put in order. Then it goes and brings back seven other spirits more wicked than itself who move in and dwell there, and the last condition of that man is worse than the first."

I read these lines and I can't help but think of the division amongst the people surrounding Jesus. Some saw him as the Christ and excepted him as such. For others who thought that they were already on a good path we're challenged, and I'm sure to agree, scared. I don't know what I would do if I met Jesus. I'm sure once I realized I was literally standing in front of the man it was the son of Christ, I would fall to my knees, kiss his feet and begging for mercy. But I have to be honest, upon first meeting Jesus Christ and the flesh I would probably be skeptical. I don't know that I would ask for a sign if I had been standing there and witnessed Jesus expel a demon from someone. However, I would probably listen to his words intently, to try and decipher for myself if this indeed was the son of God, and if so what does that mean. All that said and done what does the scripture mean to me today? First, it says to me that we are too easily divided as a people and God wishes to unite us in love. Secondly, the devil and his minions are constantly on the prowl to divide us. We are week when we are alone. The Devil knows this and that is why he wants to divide us from each other so that he can easily pick us off one by one and damn us each to hell. Third, we will become or rather consumed by what we open our hearts to. If we open our hearts to the world, the devil and his lies, that is what we will become. If we open our hearts to God and to love that is what we will become. Lastly, God is not going to give us "proof". Probably because he realizes that even if he gave us the most undeniable proof on the face of planet there would still be people who would doubt. The greatest gift God has given us is our free will. God lets us choose. We are not animals that live by instinct. And we are not slaves forced to love. God opens his heart to us and is willing to freely give us the gift of grace and faith so that we may become stronger in his ways, live a life on this earth filled with happiness peace and love, and if we choose Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior and are baptized in the water and of the Spirit we'll get to live with God forever and ever in heaven. So how do we believe? It starts simply by opening our hearts, allowing God to come in and finally by trusting him and following his ways.

And that's all I got to say about that.