Ave Maria Radio presents Christ is the answer with Father John Ricardo.

Many people have gone through the experience that is known worldwide as Alpha,

a quick attempt to lead people into an encounter with the person of Jesus.

A question remains, though, if that was Alpha, what's the Omega?

What's the end? What's the goal? What's the point?

It seems to me that Scripture tells us the point in 1 Thessalonalonians chapter 4, verse 3, that the will of God is our sanctification. The Omega is to become saints, to become holy. Over the duration of this program, we're going to take a look at a series of issues that can help us to apply the scriptures to our lives so that we can begin to live the life of heaven now

so that we can become holy so that God's will for our lives can be accomplished.

The title for this sixth of seven broadcast sessions is worship.

We begin with Father Ricardo introducing the topic to us.

I recently had a chance to be together with a set of different ministers, Catholic

Protestant, and a kind of an international conference of folks. We were talking about all sorts

of things having to do with evangelization and worship and whatnot. And one of them said something

which really struck me. He said, back in the 1600s, 17, 1800s, the purpose of hymns in a very real way was to be something like a didactic tool.

It was a way to teach illiterate people essentials about the faith.

And we needed those then.

Now, we need those now, too, quite frankly, because we have people who, while not illiterate,

are more or less illiterate in the faith.

That's, I think, rather undebatable.

But, he said, what people also need, in addition to hymns which teach us about the faith, they need music which allows them to express their love and their gratitude to God for all

that He has done for us.

And I think that's why in my own spirit, I often feel like when I'm really entering

into worship, it has that same sort of impact in my life.

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