Marks of a true Christian

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

WHILE there a many, even infinite, marks of a true believer of Christ, at least we can mention two that can clearly identify us as true Christians. These are when we know how to really pray, addressing God as our Father, and when we, like Christ, would have a forgiving heart.

We are somehow reminded of these marks in the gospel reading of the Mass on Thursday of the 11^th Week in Ordinary Time, (cfr. Mt 6,7-15) where Christ told his disciples about the “Our Father” or the Lord’s Prayer as the proper way to pray. In that prayer, there is an important part where Christ told us to ask the Father to “forgive our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.”

We have to remember that praying is our way of uniting ourselves with God, our Creator and Father, whom we are supposed to be always with, since our life, as an image and likeness of God, is meant to be a shared life with God.

Praying is to our spiritual life what breathing and the beating of the heart are to our biological life. That is why St. Paul clearly said, “Pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” (1 Thes 5,17-18)

When we manage to truly pray, we can also manage to protect ourselves from all kinds of evil, and to heal whatever wounds and weaknesses we may have because of our sins. A sense of holy invulnerability can come to us. We can find peace and joy in spite of the heavy drama of our life.

That’s because when we pray, we unite ourselves with Christ, and with him no evil can affect us badly. We may not be spared from suffering, but we would know how to convert that suffering into a means of our purification and eventual salvation. With him, everything will work out for the good. (cfr. Rom 8,28)

The other mark of a true Christian is to have a merciful heart. Only when we are merciful to others would God be also merciful to us. (cfr. Mt 6,14-15) We have to be clear that this injunction to be forgiving is meant for everyone, and not only for a few whom we may consider to be religiously inclined. That’s why when asked how many times we should forgive, he said not only seven times, but seventy times seven, meaning always.

We have to continually check on our attitude towards others because today’s dominant culture is filled precisely by the viruses of self-righteousness, that feeling that we are superior to others, etc. We have to do constant battle against that culture.

That’s why we need to douse immediately any flame of pride and egoism that can come to us anytime. We have to learn to understand others, to accept them as they are, warts and all, while praying and doing whatever we can to help them. It’s not for us to judge their motives which will always be a mystery to us.

In fact, as St. Paul once said, we have to consider others as always better than us. Only peace and harmony can result from such attitude. The abuses that can arise will soon be overcome if we are consistent with this attitude.

Let’s be quick to ask for forgiveness when we commit sin and mistakes, and also to offer it others.

Email: roycimagala@gmail.com