“I’ve lost the plot!” a close friend said to me. Basic elements of her life, such as home, purpose, and work, lacked meaning for her. There were unresolved problems and a general feeling of “What’s this all about?” But all this, she explained, was giving way to a simple recognition: The “plot”—or purpose—of life is love.

When mental shifts like this take place, we feel the Christ at work: God’s moment-by-moment message reminding us who we really are as Love’s reflection. Think of the Love-sent messages that found voice through Christ Jesus. He told people, in essence, “You’re not bad. You’re not sick. You’re not a hopeless case. You’re whole, perfect, spiritual, deathless, loved, and loving. You are the light of the world!”

Jesus was looking into the faces of farmers, fishermen, and other ordinary folk, including the sick, hungry, sad, and desperate. “Me? The light of the world?” they must have wondered. But imagine the spark of hope they felt when their lives were actually changed. When blind people saw. Lame people got up instantly. Angry people felt their hearts fill with love.