“It was in Antioch that the disciples were first called Christians” (Acts 11:26).
What makes one a Christian? To believe in the Lord Jesus Christ through the profession of the Faith and living the professed Faith. If someone asks what benefit there is to being a Christian- Our Lord responds: you become God’s very own, you hear his voice, you receive an indestructible life, and no one can take your blessings away from you (cf John 10:25-30).
The followers of Christ were identified as “Christians” in Antioch when they were observed doing the very things Jesus did. The semblance of their behaviors with Jesus goes beyond the replication of mannerisms. It was more than organizing programs that one church saw another church hold. Although the Christian life can include emulating what others do, it goes beyond that. Today we hear people say what we need for a better world is “being nice to others.” Is that all we need? We need the Grace of God too.
Grace
In the story from the book of Acts of the Apostles from today’s first reading, we were told the apostles came and “saw” the Grace of God present. That means that “Grace” can be personified. Grace can be touched. It can be experienced. Grace can be known. In fact, the Grace of God is everything. The Grace of God is what makes one a Christian. Remove Grace in the life of a Christian believer; what’s left is willpower. Human willpower only takes people a little far.
For example, you are “being nice” to people. After a while, you realize the people you are being nice to are not friendly to you at all. For how long can you keep going? Wouldn’t it be easier to withdraw your niceness and treat them like they treat you? Jesus says if we are only charitable to those who are generous to us, we are the same as unbelievers because even pagans practice tit for tat.
The Words and Works of Christ
At Antioch, what people saw wasn’t a tit for tat. Some commentaries say the name Christian arose out of mockery of the disciples. While that might be true, we should see what the disciples were being mocked for. The people of Antioch recognized Christ’s words and works in the life of the disciples. And they were probably saying, “you are behaving like Christ; just remember He was killed for doing these things.” And that makes the whole thing even better: “If we have died with Christ, we shall live with Him.”
True Christians possess the words and works of Christ. Words are not enough. Works are not sufficient either. Works are severely limited if they don’t proceed through the Words. The Words would be reduced to mere rhetoric and a display of oratory talents or mere repetition of what others say if not confirmed by His (Christ’s) works. St Mark’s gospel reminds us that “while the disciples preached the Word, Jesus confirmed their words with signs and wonders [Works]” (Mark 16:20).
So, who are you? A Christian in words? Or a Christian with works? Or a Christian with His Words and Works? The latter relies on the Grace of God. I want to guess that we honestly want to be Christians who rely on the Grace of God to complete us and present the words and works of Christ to the world.
