St Catherine of Siena Catholic Church Birmingham

The meaning of faith and of the gospel

Recently we found ourselves in the midst of a lively debate among fellow catholics about the 'one verse from the bible that summarises the gospel'. And what an enlightening chat this was..... For, so many verses were put forth: ranging from the sombre, subtle and dignified, to the outright evangelical and radical - reflections based on personal experiences these participants held. Haste to add, most if not all are active practitioners of the faith.

All the verses put forth, one has to admit, were worthy of mention and discussion - John 1:1, Mathew 29:19, John 14:6, Ephesians 2:8, Acts 1:8, Romans 10:9 and so on. Yet one, through its beauty and simplicity, stood out elegantly - John 3:16.

''For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life''

In this Year of Faith, it is worth pondering the broader meaning of the gospel and what faith really means to us. One could argue, John 3:16 surmises the bible - from the book of Genesis through to the New Testament. It places the triune God in context: God the creator and Almighty, His only son Jesus our saviour, and the holy spirit who gives us the gift of faith. And as in Acts 1:8, when called to spread the 'Good news' - it is this news of eternal life that needs to be made known to all.....through our words, our actions and the practice of faith in our daily lives. So that all who will come to know you will learn of Him, the God Almighty.

Let us praise Our Lord at all times:
Blessed are you, Lord God: Blessed are you for ever.
Holy is your name: Blessed are you for ever.
Great is your mercy for your people:
Blessed are you for ever. Amen!

..........The web team