Living out Christian faith nowadays

Tonight, I began attending a course on Ruth & Esther. It is very enjoyable, studying bible courses without examination pressure. I was brought up a science student in secondary education. In HKU, I switched to social sciences. It was an eye-opening experience. After spending 3 years, I find it a beginning of a life long search for meanings and values in life. These things are intangible and not the subject matters for scientific studies which I still enjoy reading. I have imperceptibly migrated to languages and literature.
The Bible is a fascinating library of literature. There are, according to the Catholic tradition, 73 books which are records of encounter experiences of people with God. These records span across at least 700 years from 600 BC to 100 AD which is more than 1900 years from us. The milieu of these records was different from ours as well as theirs. The situation of the apostles was different from that of the prophets. Yet they serve as valuable signposts to encounters with God and we can learn many lessons from them. Of course, there are many Christians who treat them as absolute truth revealed by God and they are free to do so. However, we are living in a pluralistic and global community and there are many other voices worth attending to.
In the reading today Acts 5:17-26, we read of the imprisonment of the apostles by Jewish authority in Jerusalem.  An angel of the Lord released them (Acts 5:19), leaving the prison securely locked and sentries standing at the doors (Acts 15:23).  The angel instructed them
Go and stand in the temple and speak to the people all the words πάντα τὰ ῥήματα of this Life τῆς ζωῆς ταύτης (Acts 5:20).
Nowadays, Christians still face hostilities and even persecutions from the government. But we don't expect God to send angels to save them miraculously. Instead we will appeal to the mass media to demand justice and the protection of human rights from the government. Today, we Christians still have the same message of Life with God to offer all mankind. But this message has to be packaged in such a way that it is meaningful to modern man. This is the challenge for all Christians nowadays. What is this message of Life with God?
For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). This comment from John is an absolute truth subscribed to by Christians. God loves the world. God shows His love by giving us His only Son Jesus to embrace or reject. This is the absolute truth part. But eternal life is conditional. It is a truth on condition that we believe in him, embrace him. Otherwise, eternal life is meaningless for those who reject him. Here comes the challenge for Christians. How do we help others to believe in Jesus?
Here, John was rather pessimistic.
And this is the judgment ἡ κρίσις, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil (John 3:19). What is our situation today? Should we pass judgment on people's deeds? I will not. I feel that people nowadays are more indifferent than evil. How do we help indifferent people? I know not.

Dear Holy Spirit, Come and kindle our hearts as well as those of our neighbours. Turn our hearts of indifference to passion. Teach us to embrace life, to meet our challenges and glorify our Father in heaven. I pray for the health of our Cardinal who recently has a heart pacer installed. I pray for the recent violence orchestrated by Tibetan freddom fighters. May people come to their senses and choose non-violent resistance instead. Amen.

Comment from NotAllGoodPeopleGoToHeaven:

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The (pagan) belief in immediate transit of individual souls after death to a state of perfect blessedness (heaven), or to a state of continuous punishment (hell), or to an intermediate state of purification (purgatory) has greatly weakened the expectation of Christ's Coming."
-Samuele Bacchiocchi, Ph. D.
Retired Professor of Theology,
Andrews University
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April 5, 2008