Whether Christianity and salvation can be passed on, and whether the Kingdom of God can be established on earth, are closely tied to many factors that concern us directly. Not only can we not ignore them, but as Christians, we are called to take shared responsibility. Otherwise, the sacrifice of our Lord Jesus would be in vain!
I hope yesterday’s reflection helps everyone realize that the greatest crisis in the world is not an economic crisis, not an environmental crisis, not a political crisis, nor even a crisis of war, it is a crisis of faith, and more importantly, a crisis of hope.
The greatest pillar of this world is the Truth that Christ left behind. This Truth is rooted in the teachings of Jesus and the example He set for us, in other words, the spirit of Christ.
This Truth has been passed down to this day through the Church established by Christ, under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. The role of the Church is to strengthen the faith of Christians, and to pass on the spirit of Christ and His promises to us from generation to generation.
Faith is a relationship, a relationship between human beings and God. “Faith” is when we entrust ourselves to God. And “hope” is when we extend this trust from now into the future, until we are reunited with God in Heaven.
Therefore, without “faith”, there is no “hope”. “Hope” grows through the inheritance of “faith”, under the nurturing and protection of the Church. And “hope”, in turn, carries the responsibility of sustaining “faith”.
Our relationship with the Lord is the source of both faith and hope — and the foundation of everything.
When the Church — the cradle of faith and hope — is attacked and harmed, the spiritual pillar of the entire world, the Christ-like spirit that Jesus spread to the world, will be severely weakened, and it becomes a big question whether God’s salvation can be passed on.
Although “salvation” is an unconditional gift from God, God will never force us to accept it, therefore, we must actively respond to and accept it.
Without belief or the virtue of faith, without a relationship with God and without a concept of eternal life, people will have no desire or yearning for the things of Heaven. They won’t long for eternal life or to be with God forever. When that longing is lost, so too is the desire for “salvation”, and this precious gift will gradually be lost. Isn’t this exactly what the devil wants most?
That is why the mission of Christians is so important, because we each bear the responsibility of preserving, nurturing, and passing on “faith” and “hope”.
Just imagine, when our faith grows weak, and our hope is extinguished, the light of the world will go out with it. The sacrifice of our Lord Jesus Christ would then be in vain!
Christians not only have the responsibility to preserve and strengthen their own faith and hope, but also to pass this light of faith and hope on to those around them.
If we don’t take action, if we continue to naively believe that everything is fine and will work itself out, then by the time we realize the light of faith and hope has extinguished, it will be too late to save it.
But we cannot pass on what we do not ourselves possess. If we have no relationship with the Lord, if we have no trust in Him or longing for Him, how can we introduce these treasures to others? If we do not know our own destination, how can we lead others there? If there is no light of Christ within us, how can we pass this light on to others, or to the world?
That is why having a correct understanding of God and a real relationship with Him is so important! This is why we must make this the top priority in the meaning and purpose of our lives! For this reason, during this retreat, we have spent a lot of time trying to understand the nature and perspective of God, as well as His ways. Only when we have a correct view of God, ourselves, and the world, can we begin to build God’s Kingdom here on earth.
Reflection
Do you believe that the Truth of God and the spirit of Christ play a pivotal role in the future and destiny of humanity? I invite you now to reflect on this question carefully.
Do you place enough importance on your own faith and hope? Have you invested enough time in nurturing these two important virtues?
Do you feel you have a responsibility to spread faith and hope? Do you feel a sense of urgency that leads you to take action?
Today’s Prayer
Lord Jesus Christ, today I realize how ignorant I have been. I thought everything was fine, normal, and to be taken for granted. I did not recognize the seriousness of the problems, nor did I realize how important my mission was. So I never gave it much thought, nor did I truly explore the significance of faith in my life. Because of that, I have neglected my relationship with You.
Thank You for reminding me through today’s reflection. You have made me deeply aware that both I and this world are facing a serious crisis of faith and hope. I don’t want to be someone who is “faithless” and “hopeless”, and even more so, I don’t want to hurt You by remaining in that state.
From today onward, I long to know You more, and to love You more. Please ignite within me the light of faith and hope, and strengthen my sense of responsibility, so that I may carry out the mission of spreading Your love, guiding more people to accept Your true light and salvation.
You are invited to visit the YouTube channel, where all participants are encouraged to join and share their reflections.
Fundraising Appeal
Thank you for participating in this 40-day Lenten spiritual journey. We hope you have been inspired and have benefitted from it! For the spiritual benefit of all of you, Fountain of Love and Life devotes a lot of time and effort in producing various spiritual projects every year, and all our ministries are sustained by the generous donations of our supporters. We hope you will support us with prayers and donations. Please make an online donation using the button at the top of the website Lent.FLL.cc. Thank you very much for your support. God bless!
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Writer: Paul Yeung
Project Manager: Michael Lam, Rosa Tse
Editors: Bonny Chan, Rosa Tse
English Editors: Bonny Chan, Paul Yeung
Mandarin Editor: Anthony X.
Cantonese Narrator: Margaret Woo
English Narrator: J. Johnson
Mandarin Narrator: C. Zhou
Audio Editors: Cyan Cheung, Sander Lee, Margaret Woo
YouTube Editors: Arnold Chan, Cyan Cheung, Sander Lee
Graphics: Francis Lai, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Website: Patricia Young, Angela Wong
Podcast: Angela Wong
Social Media: Yollie Leung, Carmen Tsang, Rosa Tse
Theme Music:
“3 MINUTES RELAXATION MUSIC | 4K Scenic View of Tuscany” by Introvert Pianist https://www.youtube.com/@introvertpianist
“Sea of Memory” by Aakash Gandhi https://www.youtube.com/@88keystoeuphoria