I want to remind you of the written words of my good friend John. He wrote in his letter, “Dear friends, let us love one another, because love comes from God. Whoever loves is a child of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. And God showed his love by sending his son (that’s me) into the world so that we might have life through him.” (1 John 4:7-9)

That is the heart of my whole mission, the purpose I came into the world to change it from cruelty and oppression and give an example of what it means to love others. That is, you are making us present to others. That is the way I want you to live: caring, helping, and loving your neighbor. The world needs good people like you to do good; take action to help the needy. That is how we are there, present with all in need, through good people like you.

Religion and faith have been misinterpreted, and so too my life, mission, and values. Organized religion is mostly about performing rites and rituals to worship God and me. You should know that we don’t need worship; we are not idols. We are persons, and we want you to be close to us by loving the poor, the abused, the downtrodden, and the hungry. That is what we mean when we say God is love: we are with you when you love the poor and exploited people.

That is the example I gave when I walked the earth. I want you to be active in any way you can in changing your society and making it more just and truthful. Do good and oppose evil and believe that one day you will win; that’s the faith I taught.

Did I not tell you the long story of the Good Samaritan? (My friend wrote it down. Matthew 10:25-37). A Jewish man going to Jericho was attacked and robbed and left for dead, and the religious leaders, a priest and a scholar from Jerusalem, passed by and did nothing to help. But the Samaritan, a non-Jew, and there being animosity between the Samaritans and the Jews, he stopped, showed compassion, bound up the wounds, brought the wounded Jewish person to an inn, paid for his care, and promised aftercare too. That’s having love of all persons; love others as you love yourself. Remember we are the force of goodness and love in the universe; you are our human presence to others.

Come again, and let’s share about life, as John wrote, You can have a meaningful life with me.

-Jesus of Nazareth