Be Saved May 15

Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.” Acts 16:30-31

For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned. John 16:7-11

Piety

Let us pray: Jesus, help me to cut through the clutter and get to the point like the jailer does when he is guarding your servants Paul and Silas. Help me to do as Paul advised the jailer: "Believe without a doubt.” Help me to live life to the fullest extent possible within the walls of this convent. Amen.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/051507.shtml

The question is so simple. “What must I do to be saved?” The jailer does not ask, “What may I do to be saved?” Instead, he knows that Jesus has demands on us. He wants to get right to the point.

Paul’s answer is as unequivocal as the question. “Believe in the Lord.” It’s that simple. Not Good Works. Not Faith and Good works. Just Faith.

Jesus and the Holy Spirit work more like a “relay team.” First Jesus appears to do his work. Then, after Jesus departs, the Holy Spirit descends to empower the apostles to minister to the world. The Church approaches Ascension Thursday this week and Pentecost Sunday next weekend. As this Easter season fades into another “ordinary season,” we will have stark reminders about the differing roles of the Savior and the Advocate.

It was the power of the Holy Spirit which led the jailer to his conversion experience. However, the Holy Spirit does not work alone. He works in tandem with the disciples everywhere they travel together.

Today’s scripture follows what was earlier explained in John 3:17: “For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him.” Instead, the Holy Spirit, we learn in today’s discourse, will be sent to convict the world through the work of the Apostles who are sent out to preach.

As the New American Bible notes explain, “The Advocate leads believers to see (a) that the basic sin was and is refusal to believe in Jesus; (b) that, although Jesus was found guilty and apparently died in disgrace, in reality righteousness has triumphed, for Jesus has returned to his Father; (c) finally, that it is the ruler of this world, Satan, who has been condemned through Jesus' death (John 12:32).”

By turning away from Jesus, to the material goods and temptations of the world, we commit sin. Jesus saves the world through His death and resurrection which atones for our sins. When Jesus triumphs, then the ruler of the world – not the Children of God – is condemned to die instead of Jesus, instead of us.

The Hebrew Bible presented the fulfillment of God’s covenant with the chosen people. Now we see the New Testament presenting the fulfillment of Jesus’ promises to the disciples – promises to save the world and triumph over evil. Once again, Jesus is seen fulfilling those promises.

On his recent trip to Brazil, Pope Benedict XVI emphasized how the “the Church's mission exists only as a prolongation of Christ's mission of active love: ‘As the Father has sent me, even so I send you”.” The Pope pointed out that “Christ's mission is accomplished in love. He has kindled in the world the fire of God's love. It is love that gives life: and so the Church has been sent forth to spread Christ's love throughout the world.”

The Holy Spirit will be the person of the Trinity who calls for judgment, not Jesus.

What then do we need to do to be saved? Believe. Have faith in Jesus. Faith alone is enough we learn here and in the reading from Acts. Faith, by its nature must also be put into action loving others around you. However, even if you don’t get to be stoned and martyred like Paul and Silas, faith alone will save you as it did the jailer who was doing his job.

Action

How do you show your faith on the job? In school? At home with your family? In your activities? Will people know that you are Christian by your love or merely by reclaiming lost property?