Good News
Most Christians would be hard pressed to answer the question, “What does it mean to be a Christian?” Be a good person? trust Jesus? Be baptized? Go to church? Tithe? All of the above? Something else?
Of course, there is no simple answer that adequately and thoroughly expresses the heart of Christian faith. But there are some fundamentals.
In Sunday’s Gospel, Mark tells us that at the outset of Jesus’ public ministry he declared, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God has come near; repent, and believe in the good news.” (Click here for the full text.) So there’s something about the Kingdom, about repenting and about believing. That’s a pretty good start.
The Kingdom of God is the place where God’s will is perfectly done. Is there any higher dream than that?
We are to repent, that is, to change our behavior to be in line with the Kingdom. Is there anything more difficult, but more rewarding?
And we are to believe in the good news. It is good news! Not bad news, not depressing news. Not news to leave us hopeless! Something very different than what the TV feeds us at 6 and 11 each evening. Jesus promises us something good!
Is that what you think of? How would you fill in those blanks?
This column appeared in the January 21, 2024 edition of St. John’s eNews. Click here for the complete issue.
If you are reading this at a different time, you may click here for the current eNews.
