The Christian Faith

The Christian faith, like the Word of God, is something alive and active. (Heb 4:12a) Christ has set our hearts on fire. (Lk 24:32.) Like so many in the gospel stories, we too have heard Jesus Christ calling us. He continues to reach out, drawing near to us in our own particular places. He is conscious of each person in their need and addresses us personally. This is his way. He has come among us in our humanity and he remains with us always. Of the sick man in Bethzatha he asks with intent: ‘Do you want to be well again?’ (John 5:6). He surprises the Samaritan woman at the well, and upsets his companions, when he makes a request of her: ‘Give me a drink’ (John 4:7).And to the rich young man, on whom he looked lovingly, he offered an unanswered challenge: ‘Come follow me’ (Mark 10:21). Despite our weakness and the inadequacies of our efforts, we too have felt his closeness and his care.He has touched our very being. As in Galilee two thousand years ago, Jesus Christ offer us, now, healing and forgiveness, comfort and challenge, the tenderness and pain of all-embracing love, and a peace in God’s presence rooted in commitment to one another and to a whole-hearted service of our neighbour.

Prompted by the Holy Spirit, we seek to live our faith in Jesus Christ and become the supportive and unified disciples that he calls us to be. We are convinced that knowing Christ’s love for us can change our lives, convert our hearts and transform our world. As members of the Church, we trust in the power of Chris’s love to prevail over our human limitations and, even in confusing and turbulent times, we reach out to Christ Jesus to serve the world and one another. True Christian faith can renew all things and lead us to livein love with Chris now and forever. (‘Share the Good News’ –Irish Episcopal Conference pg. 1).