In today's gospel reading, we hear Jesus say to the crowd: "No one can come to me unless he is drawn by the Father who sent me. And I will raise him up at the last day."

It is God's will that everyone be saved. It is always God who takes the initiative to draw each and every person to him, to hear him and be taught by him. But only the Son has seen God, and so the Father sent the Son to teach and preach, and to save.

Faith in Jesus Christ is a grace, a mystery; it comes from God. Each one of us is invited by God to be attentive to God's presence and be open to God's touch in our hearts and God's action in our community. As Christians we do this through prayer and living the sacraments, especially the Eucharist. The Eucharist is a gift of love, Christ's self-donation to us. We pray the Scriptures and live the Sacrament so that we may learn from Christ to give ourselves to others.

Pope Benedict XVI explains: 'Only if I serve my neighbour can my eyes be opened to what God does for me and how much he loves me.' (God is Love, 18).