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Is Faith Love or Standards?
Being a Christian is a way of thinking and living that understands man in its entirety.




Author: P. Fernando Pascual, L.C | Source: Catholic.net



Many Catholics think of their Christian faith as a dichotomous key. They can find it in beautiful spirituality, a wonderful message, a hope and a project to live only in love. They can also see a series of commandments and "standards" that they feel as a straitjacket or scissors that cut off the wings of their dreams and prevent them from living according to the progress of society.

In fact, the commandments God has given us and the standards that the Church offers us are not obstacles, but part of the response of love born from faith in the gospel.

Being a Christian is not just believing that God loves us, that Christ offers us salvation with his surrender on the cross, just praying in times of difficulty in asking for help, or in moments of joy to recognize that gifts come from God.

Being a Christian is a way of thinking and living that understands man in its entirety. Since the alarm goes off until bedtime, when we barely have the strength to put the shirt we wore in the closet.

Therefore, it is false the dichotomy that leads many to accept some spiritual aspects of their Christian faith and to set aside the concrete demands of that same faith. Because faith in God reaches all aspects of life: what one thinks in front of the mirror, what one says on the phone, what one does with the little or a lot of money of his bank account, what one says before a friend, how a person behaves at work and so on.



It would be sad to walk through life with the false idea that we can declare ourselves Catholic just because we believe it and say it before a public poll. Because a Catholic is truly so when, he puts the Gospel into practice everyday and accepts the teachings that come to us from the Pope and bishops.

For this reason it is also considered inconsistency and forgery of the Christian faith to scrupulously abide by norms and rules, with commandments and canon law, using a cold heart.

Works are valid only when they are immersed in deep faith and authentic charity. Otherwise, we fall into formalisms that gradually wither our souls and lead us to walk without the deep joy of those who live in a continuous intimacy with God.

It is not enough to say "Lord, Lord" to be fruitful results. It is not of any use to do a thousand formalist acrobatics without a heart full of love for our Father of heaven and to every companion on the way.

Today we can, with simplicity and humility say to Christ: I welcome your Love, Jesus. I want to live according to the Gospel, I want to hear the voice of your shepherds, I want charity to be the light that guides each of my steps, in the big and in the small decisions.








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