Do you have faith in God but never do any of His work? Do you serve as the hands and feet of God on earth? There are a number of great examples in the Bible of why merely declaring that Jesus Christ is your Lord and Savior is not enough. That is the first step but you must do the work as well. Look at the story of Noah in the Old Testament. God told Noah, "Make yourself an ark of gopherwood, put various compartments in it, and cover it inside and out with pitch. This is how you shall build it: the length of the ark shall be three hundred cubits, its width fifty cubits, and its height thirty cubits. Make an opening for daylight in the ark, and finish the ark a cubit above it. Put an entrance in the side of the ark, which you shall make with bottom, second and third decks." At that point Noah had a choice. He had declared his allegiance to God. He was, in fact, leading the life that God asked of all of the people in the Old Testament. Noah was a good person, a Godly man. He had tremendous faith. So when the Lord came to him and told him to build an arc, what did he do? He put his faith into action. He did the work that accompanied his faith. He built the ark for his family and the animals. He was faithful to the word of God and did the work as well. Mary, the mother of God, is another example of putting the work and the faith together. She was a teenager, living with her parents and betrothed to a wonderful man, Joseph. He was a carpenter and so very capable of providing a good living for Mary. She loved God and had faith. We know that she was a good Jew. When God came to her and asked her to be the earthen vessel for the Savior, she could have said many things. She could have told God that she loved Him very much but that she was only a teenager. She could have run from the situation. She said yes to God. She carried Jesus in her womb. She provided the human support so that God could come and dwell among us as man. She had faith and she did the work. It is what God calls us to do. As we enter the last part of the Lenten season, try to focus on doing the work of God on earth. Find your purpose and fulfill it. Be an example of God's grace and His goodness. Show others that you are truly an earthen vessel for God and allow Him to work through you. Faith without works is empty. Fill the vessel.
Finding St Anthony Among the Lost Items
Saint Anthony of Padua, though often associated with finding lost articles, was primarily known in his lifetime as a powerful and eloquent preacher. Originally a Canon Regular of St. Augustine, he was inspired to join the newly formed Franciscan order after witnessing the martyrdom of the first Franciscan missionaries in Morocco. His conversion to the mendicant life under St. Francis of Assisi transformed him, deepening his commitment to poverty, humility, and evangelical preaching. Gifted with profound theological knowledge and a captivating speaking style, he traveled across Italy and France, drawing immense crowds with his clear and passionate sermons, converting many and combating heresy with his unwavering faith and intellectual rigor. Beyond his public ministry, St. Anthony was a mystic who enjoyed profound spiritual experiences, most notably a vision of the Infant Jesus. This intimate connection with the Christ Child is a hallmark of his iconography, often depicting him c...
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