Life in this world is the time period that allows us to get to know each other as family; people with which we spend pleasant times, enjoying the memories God has allowed us. In order to maintain and develop ourselves, it is necessary to have funds for food, clothing, etc. This makes us toil to find the necessary funds, which require hard labor that often tires and/or sickens; this doesn’t take into account the time of study and all the remainder that’s implied. God’s advice for his children is: “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well (if I have faith)” (Mt 6:33, NIV). This requires knowing God, loving him, and serving him because we are grateful.

This divine provision is a miracle that God gives to those who have faith, because the entire world is under the deceit of the evil one since the beginning. This control of the evil one was due to the effects of the disobedience of men in the garden of Eden, let’s read: “…but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ You will not certainly die, the serpent said to the woman. For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil. When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband…” (Gn 3:3-6).

            God gives his prophecy for the time of the end: “But you, Daniel, roll up and seal the words of the scroll until the time of the end. Many will go here and there to increase knowledge” (Dn 12:4). And also says: “There is no peace, says the Lord, for the wicked” (Is 48:22).

            When watching the news about worldwide events, the headlines are always about: “Corruption and violence in the US,” “The number of death in Nicaragua reaches 27,” “Violence in Mexico,” “Citizen safety is jeopardized by jails.” Even in the labor sector they add: “Every year we have 200 thousand graduates that must ingress the market.” If we remember life 70 years ago, we didn’t hear about problems as these.

Today there exist so many University careers that there are thousands that look to know about the life sciences, politics, economy, medicine, etc. There also were not these many churches, and even less, mega-churches. A long time ago, Christians were underestimated, and some were even eliminated. To God, the true faith has to be accompanied by works (obedience), let us read what the word of God says about the true fast: “Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter – when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard” (Is 58:7-8).

            The prophecy about our Savior and Redeemer say: “The Spirit of the Lord will rest on him –the Spirit of wisdom and of understating, the Spirit of council and of might, the Spirit of the knowledge and the fear of the Lord –and… with righteousness he will judge the needy, with justice he will give decisions for the poor of the earth. He will strike the earth with the rod of his mouth; with the breath of his lips he will slay the wicked” (Is 11:2-4). The fulfillment of the promise was by our Lord saying: “Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Blessed are those who mourn… the meek… those who hunger and thirst of righteousness… the merciful… the pure in heart… the peacemakers… those who are persecuted because of righteousness, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven” (Mt 5:1-10).

            God wants for those who are part of his body and have Christ as our heads to be: “…united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know he mystery of God, namely Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge” (Col 2:2-3). Let us not forget that in the times of the end:

“… false messiahs and false prophets will appear and perform great signs and wonders to deceive, if possible, even the elect” (Mt 24:24). There is no point in arguing that sciences and knowledge are ever increasing, but the faith of many is growing colder. We know that God is pleased by our faith, and we overcome the evil one with faith as well.

Let us look for God and let us be filled with his Holy Spirit, with which we will be able to reject the tempter. God tells us to: “… study the scriptures diligently because you think that in them you have eternal life. These are the very scriptures that testify about me” (Jn 5:39). Let us remember: how many times have you studied the scriptures? How many times do I get together to know more about the Lord? How many times do I, along with my family, meditate on where the world is going?

God took us out of this world to know the truth, and then to go back to the world with the Lord, to search for those who were lost, those who hunger and thirst for the truth. Let us remember: “… Has God not chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith and to inherit the kingdom he promised those who love him?” (Jms 2:5). Let’s be driven by our love to God and to our neighbor, to announce with faith that there is salvation and eternal life. Glory to God. Amen.