If we try to talk ourselves into being at peace it doesn't work. Our hearts condemn us because they are quickly overwhelmed by the circumstances of the world and the weakness of our hearts. Peace and reassurance can only come from God.
Now this is how we shall know that we belong to the truth
and reassure our hearts before him
in whatever our hearts condemn,
for God is greater than our hearts and knows everything.
We want to belong to the truth so that our hearts are reassured before God. Even if we don't realize it, this desire is deeply rooted within us. We begin to experience to feel this desire fulfilled when we come to the truth through belief in Jesus and through living with his own love manifesting in each of our lives. We remain in him because that is only answer we find to this desire we have.
Remain in me, as I remain in you.
Just as a branch cannot bear fruit on its own
unless it remains on the vine,
so neither can you unless you remain in me.
We cannot have the peace of heart we want from generic belief. Nor is the pretense of love enough. It is with Jesus as object is our belief able to transform us. Only with his love bearing fruit within us are we able to love as he wants us to love.
Whoever remains in me and I in him will bear much fruit,
because without me you can do nothing.
The importance of being united to the vine is what marks Saul's conversion on the Damascus road. He realizes it is Jesus himself he is persecuting. And when he is baptized into the people of God he experiences the union of Jesus with his people for himself. Saul lives from that union both in what he believes and in how he loves as a consequence of that belief. He speaks and writes many things. But his love is not merely in word or speech. His whole life is a sacrificial offering of love for the truth of his belief.
He also spoke and debated with the Hellenists,
but they tried to kill him.
Because Saul is united to Jesus whether he lives or he dies his life is lived as an offering to God. His words are not empty, then, when he tells us to live that way.
Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship (see Romans 12:1).
Let us ask for the grace of union with Jesus. It is only from the union that any measure of holiness or virtue is possible.
And to him my soul shall live;
my descendants shall serve him.
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