For a whole year [Barnabus and Saul] met with the Church
and taught a large number of people,
and it was in Antioch that the disciples
were first called Christians. (Acts 11:26)
A name is so very important.
It grounds us.
It gives us an idea of who we are, where we came from, where we are going.
It gives us hope.
The name “Christian” — a believer in Jesus Christ and His teachings — has a lot of meaning in this world of ours. It identifies us as a follower of the Lord.
If we bear the name of Christian, as followers of Jesus have done since the time of Barnabus and Saul in Antioch, we must also live as followers of Jesus Christ.
That is to say, our lives must be radically different than that of the world since the world is steeped in sin and follows the will of another.
If we are to win over others, we must not only claim the name of Christian, we must live the life of Christian.
FAITH ACTION: Choices will present themselves to us today. Before we choose, we should ask ourselves, “What would a true Christian do?”