Thursday, the First week of Advent

Jesus said to his disciples: "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,'
will enter the Kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven.” -Matthew 7:21

There was a time when I professed to be a Christian, and I was sure I was going to Heaven because, by the world's standards, I was a “good guy.” But that is not what Christ calls us to be; He calls us to be good by the Father’s standard.

Throughout the Gospels, Jesus tells us the works expected of us, yes, the works. Often, I’m told entering the Kingdom comes solely through faith. Indeed, we are justified by faith, and that faith grows by genuinely loving and trusting the Lord. When we Love God with our everything, we recognize His love for us and see He is with us always. We know that God loves us more than we love ourselves, and His passion spills into our being. We see, perhaps for the first time, those around us who are in need, and it is His love that drives us to act.

Jesus expects us to produce fruit from the gift of our faith and reminds us repeatedly that we cannot just say we are Christian; He wants us to be Christian.

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no other commandment greater than these.” -Mark 12:30-31

“If you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments.” He asked him, “Which ones?” And Jesus replied, “‘You shall not kill; you shall not commit adultery; you shall not steal; you shall not bear false witness; honor your father and your mother’; and ‘you shall love your neighbor as yourself.’” -Matthew 19:17-19

“Then the king will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, a stranger and you welcomed me, naked and you clothed me, ill and you cared for me, in prison and you visited me.’” -Matthew 25:34-36

Through faith, we are justified; if we are truly justified, our works are the fruit. A fruit tree that produces no fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire.

Saint Ambrose, pray for us.

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Jesus, I trust in you!