If you’re lookin’ to grow your faith beyond just grace, here are some simple ways to create a more holistic faith—one that’s got roots in Jesus’ teachings. •        Embrace community and connection. Jesus said, “For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.” (Matthew 18:20). Spend time with folks who are also tryin’ to figure out their faith. Find a church group or an online…

Are You Ready to Challenge What You’ve Been Taught? When you hear the name Paul, do you think of a wise apostle or that one uncle who always talks too loud at family gatherings? Well, I reckon it’s a bit of both! Rediscovering faith ain’t about throwin’ out everything you learned; it’s about findin’ the real heart of the matter—Jesus’s teachings. So, if you’re lookin’ for a faith that feels more…

The Letter of James is attributed to one of the disciples of Jesus, who played a very important role during the early days of the Church. Due to its literary style, it can be said that its author was a great connoisseur of the sapiential books, which is logical because the doctrine of the Kingdom of God itself is closely related to books such as Proverbs, Wisdom, Ecclesiastes, and Ben Sira. And as a good disciple of the science of the Lord, the apostle began by remembering that God is the source of all good, and that all creation is the fruit of his perfect and eternal word, that is, of the wisdom from above: "He chose to give us birth through the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of all he created" James 1:18. And this word is the source of the true life for man, that is, the eternal life, the life that once obtained cannot be lost, and is therefore eternal, and this is so because the word as Jesus taught it in the parable of the sower is the path to gnosis and the Christian enlightenment. This is why the apostle continued with his teaching on the need to listen to and live the word of God, because that is in essence the Christian way, and that is how he taught this spiritual truth: "With a gentle spirit welcome the word planted in you that can save your souls. Keep on being obedient to the word, and not merely being hearers who deceive themselves" James 1:21-22. The apostle James invited to live the word with fear of God (constancy, firmness, devotion, and equanimity) and to reject the hardness of the heart because men ultimately act as wise men or as fools when are faced with the word, that is the spiritual choice.

The gospel of Mark ends with the burial and resurrection of Jesus, but later, and as a synthesis and summary, a text was added to complete the meaning of the spiritual message of Lord Jesus and the mission of the apostles in the world; the presence of Jesus and his promises did not end with his life, but continued in the development of the early Church. Although Jesus had prophesied the fact of his death and resurrection when he preached the Kingdom of God, the dominion or empire of God's perfections; because of a lack of faith, or a weak and wavering faith, the disciples at first did not accept the news about the resurrection of Jesus, a testimony given by the women who followed Jesus, Mary Magdalene, Salome, and Mary the Mother of James. This is why Jesus appeared to the disciples to strengthen them in the gift of faith, and prepare them for the Christian Pentecost, where they would receive the fullness of the spiritual gifts in tongues of fire. A new Israel, no longer according to the dictates of the flesh but according to the dictates of the spirit, had to be realized with the apostles. In this way, according to the gospel of Mark, Jesus reproached the disciples for their skepticism, and spoke to them about the baptism necessary to achieve spiritual salvation: "Later Jesus appeared to the Eleven as they were eating; he rebuked them for their lack of faith and their stubborn refusal to believe those who had seen him after he had risen. He said to them, ´Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned´" Mark 16:14-16. With this teaching Jesus gave the disciples the authority to teach the Kingdom through baptism, turning them into missionaries of the Good News.

Ezekiel began his life as a prophet while he was among the first Jewish exiles taken by Nebuchadnezzar, in the first deportation, to a town near the Kebar River in Mesopotamia. There Ezekiel received a divine vision that confirmed his new mission and received from God the title of "son of man", that is, the title of personification of the perfections of God. During the times that Ezekiel prophesied, the prophet predicted the destruction of Jerusalem, but many false prophets were against him, lies and deception were the order of the day. That's why the prophet Ezekiel in his book taught, among other things, that whoever builds on lies builds on weak foundations, only by building on the wisdom of God and his eternal law given to Moses do men have a secure construction. With Ezekiel and his confrontation with the false prophets, a wise teaching showed its validity: "A wise person is cautious and turns away from evil, but a fool is careless and overconfident" Proverbs 14:16. In this way, Ezekiel then announced misfortune for those who make religion a source of profit, only ruin awaits those who act in this way: "Son of man, prophesy against the prophets of Israel who are now prophesying. Say to those who prophesy out of their own imagination: ´Hear the word of the LORD! This is what the Sovereign LORD says: Woe to the foolish prophets who follow their own spirit and have seen nothing! Your prophets, Israel, are like jackals among ruins" Ezekiel 13:1-4. The prophet Ezekiel exhorted the nation of Israel, as a spiritual sentinel sent by the most high, not to be attracted by pretty lies, but to seek the true knowledge of the Lord, through the fear of God (constancy, firmness, devotion).

The transfiguration of Jesus Christ was one of the most important moments in the life of the savior of humanity in the world, along with his baptism, his death, and his resurrection; during his transfiguration what happened was simply that Jesus gave a glimpse of his glory and his true divine nature to the three disciples who accompanied him to pray on the mountain, Peter, James, and John. During his transfiguration, that is, while Jesus revealed his true person clothed with the glory of God, the synoptic gospels that relate the event, Jesus met the prophets Moses and Elijah, they symbolically represented the authority of the old alliance, because Jesus came into the world to perfect all the law and the teaching of the prophets. And while Jesus, Moses, and Elijah were present with the disciples, a voice, the voice of the Father, came down from heaven, and as at the baptism with John in Jordan, the voice confirmed Jesus as the personification of the perfections of God. This is how the Gospel of Mark recounts the glorious transfiguration of Jesus: "After six days Jesus took Peter, James and John with him and led them up a high mountain, where they were all alone. There he was transfigured before them. His clothes became dazzling white, whiter than anyone in the world could bleach them. And there appeared before them Elijah and Moses, who were talking with Jesus. Peter said to Jesus, ´Rabbi, it is good for us to be here. Let us put up three shelters—one for you, one for Moses and one for Elijah.´ (He did not know what to say, they were so frightened) Then a cloud appeared and covered them, and a voice came from the cloud: ´This is my Son, whom I love. Listen to him!´ Suddenly, when they looked around, they no longer saw anyone with them except Jesus" Mark 9:2-8.

As the Bible tells it, King David had many situations in which he saw his life in danger, from the persecution he suffered at the hands of King Saul, to his fight against his son Absalon, who wanted to usurp his throne. That is why it is logical that some psalms, which were mostly written by King David who was a musician, remember those moments of affliction and anguish. In Psalm 31 David recognizes God as a refuge and saving rock, and it is to him that sensible men must turn in situations of need. In fact, this Psalm also has a special meaning for the Christian faith, a fragment of this psalm was said by Jesus at the moment of his death on the cross when he entrusted his spirit to God. This is how the Psalm 31 begins, invoking God's mercy (compassion, kindness, gentleness) in times of oppression and persecution: "In you, LORD, I have taken refuge; let me never be put to shame; deliver me in your righteousness. Turn your ear to me, come quickly to my rescue; be my rock of refuge, a strong fortress to save me. Since you are my rock and my fortress, for the sake of your name lead and guide me. Keep me free from the trap that is set for me, for you are my refuge. Into your hands I commit my spirit; deliver me, LORD, my faithful God." Psalm 31:1-5. Because in a world where sin prevails, those who fear God encounter great difficulties, the Psalm expressed, that is why David prayed to God asking for his protection against sinners: "Because of all my enemies, I am the utter contempt of my neighbors and an object of dread to my closest friends— those who see me on the street flee from me. I am forgotten as though I were dead; I have become like broken pottery. For I hear many whispering, ´Terror on every side!´ They conspire against me and plot to take my life" Psalm 31:11-13. Because in the end, David taught in the Psalm, those who put their trust in God are safe, that is why I end the song in this way: "Be strong and take heart, all you who hope in the LORD" Psalm 31:24.