In her wonderful book "The Interior Castle," St. Teresa of Avila compared the human soul to a palace where the living God dwells.

It is a powerful, positive image, and St. Teresa has much to say about how our hospitality to God within us can transform our lives and relationships. We don't have to look too far to find God if God is dwelling within us.

If you're like me, you might not think you are a fit home for the Almighty. Our lives are full of struggles and contradictions; we desire closeness to God but often act in ways that separate us from God. I want to be generous but am often greedy. I want to serve the needy, but I am often afraid of getting to close to people who seem to have an infinite need for help. If God were to take up residence in my life, I would expect to have my belongings thrown on the street.

In today's second reading from Revelations, John sees "a new heaven and a new earth," and voice from a throne announces, "Behold, God's dwelling is with the human race. He will dwell with them and they will be his people and God himself will always be with them as their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes."

St. Teresa's vision is much like John's - a new way of experiencing God that is personal, committed and compassionate. God does not enter our lives to criticize and condemn, but to provide powerful, personal care.

Today's Gospel reading makes it clear what the result of the "new heaven and new earth" should be on our lives. With God within us and among us, we should be free to love. In fact, this should be the defining characteristic of someone who claims to be a Christian. "As I have loved you, so you also should love one another," Jesus tells his followers. "This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another."

The good news of Easter is that the resurrected Christ is not far off, nor does he require some secret knowledge or behavior in order to unlock the secrets of his kingdom. While the love of God is mysterious in that it is beyond understanding, it is not a mystery that can only be decoded by the exceeding clever, intelligent or holy. The simple message of the Christian faith is that God is with us and God loves us.

Our response is to share that love. It has always struck me how simple the requirements for Christianity are. You only need love one another. This is how, we're told, once can identify a sincere follower of Jesus Christ. Jesus doesn't tell his followers that they will be known for their politics, for the participation in organized religious rites, or for their ability to identify and condemn the unfaithful.

We aren't asked to believe much more than this: God is with us. God loves us. We can then love one another.

Bill Peatman writes from Napa.