Be transformed in Christ


3 January


John 1:29-34

What is Christmas?  Why did Christ have to become man in order to save us?

Knowledge of Christ leads us to a deeper knowledge of ourselves as Christians.  In the 2nd Plenary Council of the Philippines, a study revealed that the Filipino Catholics are "sacramentalized but not evangelized".  This connotes a sad state of Catholicism in the Philippines.

To be transformed in Christ means to receive God's forgiveness only through him.  Only Christ through his passion, death, and resurrection is capable of redeeming us from sin. 

Second, we are transformed in Christ's holiness.  As we know more about the life, words, and actions of Jesus, we are transformed to his likeness.  He is the Way, the Truth, and Life.  We need to devote the whole of our lifetime to be transformed according to his likeness.

Finally, we are transformed to perfection in Christ's love.  We share his love to others, enabling a Church to be born.  We take part in social transformation by sharing the Good News of Jesus and forming Christian communities.

Let us imbibe St. Paul's words:  "It is not I who live but Christ who lives in me."

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