Living and Believing in Jesus

By Bishop Paul S. Loverde
Bishop of Arlington
(From the issue of  7/17/03)

The following homily was delivered by Arlington Bishop Paul S. Loverde at a recent Respect Life Mass at St. Louis Church in Alexandria.

"I came into the world as light, so that everyone who believes in me might not remain in darkness" (John 12: 46). What does it mean to "believe in me?"

To believe in Jesus means to entrust our entire beings to Him, to surrender to the splendor of His truth, to live by the words which He speaks, words of spirit and life.

In our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, St. Luke outlines what belief in Jesus really means. Belief is more than an intellectual exercise. It requires more than just saying, "I believe!" After St. Peter baptized about 3,000 persons on that Pentecost Sunday, and called on everyone to "repent…in the name of Jesus Christ," St. Luke writes that "they devoted themselves to the teaching of the apostle and to the communal life, to the breaking of the bread and to the prayers" (Acts 2: 41-42). They were to live the life of the One in whom they believed. Acceptance of the truth means to live by the truth. "If you live according to my teaching, you are truly my disciples; then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free" (John 8:31-32).

And how do we find the truth? The entrance antiphon for today’s Mass sheds light on that, "Hail, mother of light…you…became the model of the Church, our mother, bringing to new birth in the chaste waters of baptism a people of faith." As our Holy Father wrote in his encyclical on The Splendor of the Truth, "Mary becomes Mother of each and every one of us … the…sign…and…model of the moral life" (120). Mary is our light — pointing toward Christ, "the way, the truth and the life" (John 14:6). Today, we celebrate a special Mass in honor of Holy Mary, the Fountain of Light and Life, as we also celebrate our monthly respect life Mass and then pray the rosary at the Duke Street abortion facility.

"I am the bread of life…If anyone eats this bread he shall live forever" (John 4:51). How did Christ feed people, when he was living among them before they could eat His body and drink His blood in the Eucharist? He first met their physical needs. He changed water into wine. He cured the leper. He fed the hungry. Meeting the physical needs preceded the spiritual. How did Mother Theresa bring the helpless to Christ? She did it by caring for their needs one at a time.

Today, as we stand here between the diversity of the Route 1 corridor and the wealth of Old Town Alexandria, we ask the question, "With the help of the Blessed Mother, how can we bring the light of truth to those who may not see it?" By living the truth in words and deeds.

Being people of life certainly means supporting the Catholic Charities recent Walk for Life, but it also means helping the teenager approaching her pregnant friend by giving her advice on where to turn for help to cope with pregnancy, birth and motherhood.

Being pro-life surely means participating in this Mass and praying the rosary at the abortion facility, but it also means approaching one’s engaged daughter or son about the beauty of natural family planning if they need to postpone a pregnancy rather than resorting to the societal solution of artificial birth control.

Being pro-life means signing the petition or calling a legislator prior to an important vote, but it also means the gentle persuasion of one friend to another that living a life intimately with another person outside of marriage is, in fact, pretending to be what they are not.

Our challenge is to follow the words of St. Peter and demonstrate "with many other arguments" that any lifestyle not in accord with the truth of the Gospel takes one further from Christ rather than brings one closer to Him. Gentle persuasion can become the means of shining the light of Christ’s truth, on real-life situations.

Yes, belief in Jesus does come from a complete conversion of mind, heart and will. "Grant that through the life-giving Gospel and your grace-filled sacraments the Church may form its daughters and sons in the likeness of Christ" (Opening Prayer). May we bring ourselves closer to His Mother, Our Mother, so that we may see the light that leads to Him!

Holy Mary, the Fountain of Light and Life, shine your light toward Christ; guide us toward Christ; and be with us, as we follow your light, as we lead our lives toward your Son and strive to join Him in the eternal light of heaven!

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