Do the Works that I Do

http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/050308.shtml

May 3, 2008

Feast of Saints Philip and James, Apostles

Now I am reminding you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you indeed received and in which you also stand. Through it you are also being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you, unless you believed in vain. Corinthians 15:1-2

Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves. Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these, because I am going to the Father. John 14:10-12

Piety

Father, there is only one way to dwell with you and that way is through Your Son, Our Lord, Jesus Christ. Father, there is only one way to know you and that is to know the Truth preaches by Jesus in his word and in his works. Father, there is only one life that you have for us and that is a life of faith and action to love you and to love our neighbors. Help us to build our lives upon this stone that the builders rejected which has become the cornerstone. Amen.

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/readings/050308.shtml

Today we get the Fundamentals of Christianity in a fast summary from Paul and John. First, Paul reviews the common ground that all Christians share in his summary of the Gospels. Too often, we focus on what separates us in the ways we live out our faith. However, Paul reminds us of the cornerstones that are shared by all. Second, Jesus gets in the first word on the whole debate about Faith and Good Works.

The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. John 14:10.

Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do. John 14:12

If we share the same Gospel, then the faith compels us to do the works that Jesus commissions us to do unless we believed in vain. Jesus is the way and our pursuit of His way compels us to a life of piety. Jesus is the truth and our pursuit of His truth compels us to a life filled with study. Jesus is the life and our pursuit of His life compels us to a life of active love for everyone, including our enemies and strangers among us.

Action

Following the recent Supreme Court ruling on the death penalty, executions are scheduled to resume throughout the country. However, we have another reason to question the use of such capital punishment. That reason is a man named Levon "Bo" Jones.

Mr. Jones served 14 years on Death Row in North Carolina for a crime that he did not commit. He is the 129th person to be freed from the executioner since 1976 when the US resumed use of the death penalty. Mr. Jones always maintained his innocence. He was sentenced to death in 1993 for the murder of Leamon Grady.

While the Supreme Court considered the case of Baze v. Rees, states had a self-imposed moratorium on the death penalty. Jones' exoneration and release comes two weeks after the Court upheld the three-drug lethal injection method of capital punishment used in Kentucky. 

Use this situation focus on messages to your local political leaders like Virginia Governor Tim Kaine. The Catholic Church opposes the use of the death penalty. Urge politicians to block executions in general as well as specific cases as they arise.