'What God has made clean, you are not to call profane."
In the opening prayer of the Mass for today we pray these words, "Father, through the obedience of Jesus, your servant and your son, you have raised a fallen world."
The world is changed, it is no longer the same. Jesus comes as the Good Shepherd that we might have life and have it abundantly.
The fallen world is raised; Jesus makes all things new.
We love to ponder that reality; we like new things; we like abundance of life; we too want to be raised and no longer fallen; we pray each day, 'Lord, raise the fallen world around me."
We must remember we participate in raising what was fallen. As Christians we no longer can stand idle, we must reach forth and allow ourselves to be instruments of that grace that raises and brings newness of life.
We do this through obedience, obedience to Christ, obedience to his Church, the primary sacrament of the life-giving grace of restoration.
Strength rises from obedience and the fallen world is raised with it. This is what we pray, now we must live it.
St. Paul tells us that 'Faith in the heart leads to justification, confession on the lips leads to salvation.'
Confession is an act that moves us, not just the lips, but our arms, feet, mind, and body. Confession moves us to live obediently and then truly know abundant life and see the world transformed.
St. Gregory reminds us, "I assure you it is not by Faith that you will get to know him, but by love; not by mere conviction, but by action."
Love is best shown in obedience and only then can we truly raise what is fallen.
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