Chapter 3: In the Light of the Master

We may think that we give glory to God only by our worship and prayer or simply by following certain ethical norms. It is true that the primacy belongs to our relationship with God, but we cannot forget that the ultimate criterion on which our lives will be judged is what we have done for others. Prayer is most precious, for it nourishes a daily commitment to love. Our worship becomes pleasing to God when we devote ourselves to living generously and allow God’s gift, granted to prayer, to be shown in our concern for our brothers and sisters.

Similarly the best way to discern if our prayer is authentic is to judge to what extent our life is being transformed in the light of mercy. For “mercy” is not only an action of the Father; it becomes a criterion for ascertaining who his true children are. Mercy “is the very foundation of the church’s life.”