St. Paul emphasizes that God was the atmosphere in which the church lived and moved and had its being. Just as air is in us and we cannot live without it, the church cannot live without God. God hears every word we speak, and God sees the intentions of our hearts. Manipulation and evasion should not take place, and love should reign over all else. We have the powerful witness of Jesus on the Cross. Today we celebrate the Memorial of St. Augustine who once denied God’s existence. After his conversion, he said that Jesus “has become our justice, our sanctification, our redemption so that, as it is written; let him who glories, glory in the lord. Truth then has risen from the earth, Christ who said, “I am the truth” was born of a virgin. And justice looked down from heaven because believing in this newborn child, man is justified not by himself but by God. Truth has arisen from the earth…And justice looked down from heaven for man can receive nothing unless it has been given him from heaven.”

Prayer: Abba Father, may the truth set us free and may you be glorified in us.