All of the first Christian evangelizers were personal witnesses to the life and teachings of a person, Jesus Christ. They literally lived with him and followed him from place to place. They preached what they saw and felt as a result of their communication with him. Their written accounts of their Journey collectively became the New Testament - a witness to what Jesus did and who he was, the Son of God. It is Jesus who speaks out of the Bible. We read it to learn what is true. If we believe that Christ is the true light, having nothing in common with deceit, we learn that our own life must reveal by our actions, the virtues like wisdom, prudence, knowledge, faith, hope, and charity which are the rays Christ's light sheds upon us. Then we must be lanterns with the light burning within us giving light to others.
A desire for personal relationships is the source of our deepest aspirations. Young people especially desire personal relationships that are not I - it, but I - thou, not I and an object but I and a subject, a person whom I deeply care about. This desire only grows stronger as we mature. We long for a meaningful life. We reach out for love, joy and peace. This desire is universal among humans because it is a sign that God implants in each of us as the source of our life and our life's final goal - a personal relationship with him that only reaches its culmination in Heaven.
Our relationship with God as a person must begin in this earth life, usually in the daily and the ordinary. God calls to us gently so we must be watching and listening if we are to hear the ways he's calling us and respond. He may be asking us to be patient, or kind, or forgiving. Maybe we are being asked to endure tragic events in our lives that cause us intense suffering, or joyful things like the beauty of our flower garden, the blue sky, the full moon shining like Host in a Monstrance.
Finally, it is through continual prayer both formal and informal (the Lord's Prayer or just talk to him spontaneously) that we grow in our relationship with Jesus and nurture that relationship until it becomes part of our very being, part of who we are. Love of Jesus causes us to love others as ourselves. We're on the straight road to eternal joy.
Bernard J. Fleury, B.A. History and Classical Languages, Ed.D. Philosophy, Government, and Administration, is Professor Emeritus of Philosophy and Educational Administration. His administrative/teaching career spans more than five decades and three United States and Caribbean Colleges.
Dr. Fleury's lifelong interest in history from the perspective of the people who lived it, is evident in A Bee in His Bonnet (website: http://greatgeneration.net ) that is his grandfather Frank King's Great Generation story as he recorded it, and told it to his daughter and grandchildren.
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