To be called Christians...

WORD 2day: Tuesday, 4th week in Easter time

May 10, 2022: Acts 11:19-26; Jn 10:22-30

It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians, evidences the first reading today. They needed a name, a different name to refer to the people of the new way of life! And looking for one, they narrowed down on something with a reference to the One who inspired this way of life: Christ himself.

It takes time to be called a Christian, to be identified with the name of the Nazarene who made a crucial difference in and through his life. Even today, it is the same. It takes time to be identified a Christian: our lifestyle, our attitudes, our priorities, our relationships and our loving ways should merit the name.

Just as Jesus says in the Gospel today, 'the Father and I are one', so should we be able to say: Christ and I are one. What a model we have in St.Paul who declared, "it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me!" (Gal 2:20) And the other apostles, like Peter, John, James, Philip and all others who were doing marvellous deeds like Jesus and in the name of Jesus. 

We have a name; our life has a mission... the name is Christ, and our mission is love! When we love, we shall be with Christ; when we grow to be love, we shall be Christs, alter christus! We will be called Christians, when we grow to be so; when we grow to be love. Until then, our title 'Christians' will remain just a title and not our name!