The Church of Christ exists precisely for this – to preach the Gospel of love, to heal those who are sick and to bring back those who are lost. Like the Lord Himself, we will often be dismissed, and the message ignored or rejected. We should not be surprised at this. Instead we are called to imitate the Lord, Who loved people and Who was prepared to lay down His life for them. It is the witness of our lives, more than anything, which speaks powerfully to people, and tells them of the hope that is in us. St. Peter and the other apostles, filled with the same Spirit that has been given to us, were not afraid to bear witness by their lives and their words to their Good Shepherd, risen from the dead to dispel the darkness and gloom of this world. We are called to do the same.