The Profession of Faith

Gospel: John 14: 21-26

Jesus did not prescribe a creed or formulaic profession of faith.  He did not place the criterion of faith in membership in any institution or adherence to a political party.  Jesus instead plainly stated that if one believes in him, then they would keep his commandments.  And his commandments are to love God, love neighbor, to love one another as he loved us.  

To express belief is not to recite a series of words.  We are identified as Christians not by what we wear, what we eat or do not eat, nor in the fish symbol on our cars.  To be identified as a Christian is to be seen as one who loves others as Jesus did.  Jesus went about healing, liberating, and feeding everyone he met regardless of gender, status, nationality, religion, or any other category.  Love is not restricted to a particular group of people; it is extended to all without condition.

Imagine what might it look like if instead of professions of faith, membership criteria, and political allegiances we instead orient the profession of faith to loving as Jesus loved.  Perhaps if we encouraged people to love as Jesus loved instead of insisting on verbal formulae and the like we might facilitate greater healing, liberation, and nourishment of others in body, mind, and spirit.