1 Cor 15:1-11 / Luke 7:36-50
Everyone has a set of beliefs and with those beliefs they live their lives accordingly.
These beliefs may be secular or religious and these beliefs set the directions in life.
Some believe in the power of money, while others believe in charity.
Some believe that might it right, while others believe in gentleness and humility.
In the 1st reading, St. Paul reminded the Corinthians of the gospel that he preached to them, and it is the gospel that they come to believe in and were firmly established.
It is the gospel that will save them, but only if they keep believing in it.
St. Paul also warned them that believing in anything else will not lead to anything.
We too have come to believe in the saving power of the gospel.
But the gospel also come with challenges. It challenges us to follow Jesus in carrying the cross and to live our lives in humility, charity, gentleness and forgiveness.
But the temptation to do otherwise is also very strong. In the world that we see around us, we see selfishness, greed, injustice and retaliation.
And we succumb to the temptation and forget about the saving power of the gospel.
But God is forgiving and we must turn back to Jesus to be healed and forgiven and strengthened by the gospel.
As Jesus tells us in the gospel, the more we are forgiven, the more we will want to love and live out the gospel.
Love and forgiveness are indeed the saving power of the gospel. Let us continue to believe in it.