"Christians are made, not born." (Tertullian)
The Way of Love begins with a turning; with repentance. And because we are dust, we need regular times for re-turning to the God who has created us in love.
This turning and returning leads us into a deeper process of formation. I prefer to speak of Christian formation rather than Christian education because it's not a matter of the head, but of the heart. Or, better still, a process of connecting the two. Whether or not our turning is memorable and datable, it marks the beginning of a journey.
This learning requires that we engage Holy Scripture, which we are invited to read, mark, learn and inwardly digest. We are invited to learn how to be part of a community where everyone does not agree, even on the interpretation of these old texts. We are invited to learn to love not only our neighbors (which is hard enough some days) but to love our enemies.
This represents a counter-cultural process that requires some measure of intentionality. In the same way that gardens need to be tended (and protected from weeds and rabbits) so it is with our souls, and the journey of faith.
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