More piercing than any two edged sword

To pull the thread at the end of the last post: If, to remain alive in Christ, we need in some sense to respire, to (ahem) re-spirit ourselves, to have the Holy Spirit move in and through us (in the way, to borrow from St. Catherine of Siena, that the sea moves through the fish while the fish moves through the sea), then our relationship with Christ is one of movement and exchange. If it is a living relationship, it is an active relationship.

If we have an active, non-static relationship with Christ -- or should I say with Jesus, to use His name rather than His title? -- then, let me suggest, not only will He be alive and active in our hearts, but His teachings will, too. To the one with whom Jesus lives, His teachings are not static facts or mere rules, they are living truth.

It takes work, both to bring Jesus' teachings to life in our hearts and to keep them alive. The Holy Spirit Himself does the work of bringing and sustaining life; our task is to pray, "Not what I will but what you will." Sounds easy, but the record shows three out of four men fall asleep when they should be praying.

If we can do the work, though, then God's word will be alive in our hearts. And who's to say what might happen then? The blind might see, the prisoners might be freed, those who live in darkness might come out into the light.

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