"Who, then, is conqueror of the world?" (1 Jn 5:5) Your answer should be: I am the conqueror of the world because I believe that "Jesus is the Son of God" (1 Jn 5:5). After receiving the Lord's grace this Christmas season, our faith in Jesus should be at an all-time high. All the Christ-Masses, carols, celebrations, and presents were intended to help us grow in faith. Faith should be the result of the Christmas season, and we will need this faith for God's victory in 2007.

Faith is both a gift of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:9) and the fruit of the Spirit (Gal 5:22). In the next two days, Jesus wants to baptize us or renew our baptism in the Spirit (Mk 1:8). This will result in ever-increasing faith. If we will only repent (Acts 2:38), thirst (Jn 7:37), ask (Lk 11:13), and obey (Acts 5:32), we will receive the Holy Spirit lavished on us (Ti 3:6) in an unrationed superabundance (Jn 3:34).

For most of the world, today is Epiphany and the major celebration of the Christmas season. No matter where we live, let's join in the worldwide Christmas celebration and receive a deeper faith by the power of the Holy Spirit. "I have written this to you to make you realize that you possess eternal life — you who believe in the name of the Son of God" (1 Jn 5:13).

Rescript:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 13, 2006

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