Your word is a lamp for my feet and a light for my path. (Psalm 119)
Acts 9:31-42
The dictates of success and fame encourage me to stamp each ‘product’ of my life with a sign of ownership, so that the world will turn to me. The goal of the early followers of Jesus, though, was to turn others to the Lord. All fruits of my labours, whether great or very small, beautiful or very ugly, good or scarred and shrivelled have the potential to turn others to myself, or to the Lord of life. Am I willing to let go of the fruits of my life’s work so that the Christ Jesus can use them to bring other people to himself? May the fruits of my labours turn others to you, O Lord. What shall I return to the Lord for his bounty to me? (Psalm 116:1) To keep a lamp burning, we have to keep putting oil in it. Blessed Teresa of Calcutta Soli gloriam dei .
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Acts 9:1-20
The religious zeal of St. Paul (née Saul) was legendary. In the first years after Jesus’ resurrection, no Jew was as notorious as Saul for rubbing out Christians. But after his sudden conversion on the road to Damascus through his confrontation with the risen Christ, the monumental zeal of St. Paul was guided by the Lord. This shaping and repurposing of Paul’s religious fervour was done in three ways: soon after his conversion Saul was praying, opening his heart to God’s will and ways; the healing of Saul’s vision, both physical and spiritual, changed his life`s trajectory forever; and the Lord then saw fit to provide him with Ananias and other disciples to walk with him as he set out to proclaim the good news. Am I willing that my religious fervour, my zeal, be shaped by the risen Lord? Christ Jesus, guide my zeal through prayer, healing and companionship. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me. (Psalm 66:20) It is better to be the child of God than king of the whole world. St. Aloysius Gonzaga li gloriam dei . Acts 8:26-40
“Chaos, guts and dust” proclaims a recent newspaper headline; In the early days of the church, Philip and the other apostles had good reason to proclaim the ‘chaos, guts and dust’ events that were occurring – the torture and death of Jesus, the persecution of the Christians, the stoning of Stephen, the unjust trials of innocent people, the murder of children. Yet when Philip was moved by the Holy Spirit and put in place to have the ear of an official of the Queen of Sheba’s court, he simply picked up on what the man was reading and explained how it pointed to the deeper reality of life: the resurrection of Jesus the Christ and the Mercy of God. Today will I proclaim chaos or mercy? Christ Jesus, help me proclaim not chaos but your mercy. Blessed be God, because he has not rejected my prayer or removed his steadfast love from me. (Psalm 66:20) It is better to be the child of God than king of the whole world. St. Aloysius Gonzaga Soli gloriam dei . Acts 8:1-8
It was expected that with the martyrdom of Stephen, the authorities would be satisfied, Christians would be safer and Christian witnesses would slow down their telling of the ‘gospel truth’. But the opposite happened. The persecution of the early Church ramped up and Christians proclaimed the word and the Redeemer of God with even more fervour than previously. So effective was their testimony that whole cities were affected and filled with the joy of the Lord. Holy Spirit of God, help me proclaim your word and your redemption; let [us; my children] receive your word and your redemption. In this way may the whole of creation be filled not with persecution, but with your joy. Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of his name. (Psalm 66:1,2) May you experience the truth that he, Christ, looks upon you with love! St. John Paul II Soli gloriam dei . Acts 7:51- 8:1 & Psalm 31
St.Luke, the writer of Acts, reports that as he was stoned, Stephen was gazing into heaven and saw the glory of God, with Jesus standing at his right hand. In spite of the plot of the council that was testing him, Stephen maintained his dignity and composure by staying in the presence of the Holy Spirit of God. Proof of this is that, like Jesus, he prayed as he died that this sin would not be held against his murderers. Human plots, whether they are the ‘good’ agendas of security, comfort and wealth, or ‘bad’ agendas of persecution, disrespect or neglect, vie with the Holy Spirit to take me down into the pit of self-reference and despair. But as much as I keep my eyes open and fixed on Christ Jesus, I am in reality able to escape human plots that try to work against the Holy Spirit. In the shelter of your presence, O Lord, hide me from human plots. Into your hands I commit my spirit; you have redeemed me, O Lord, faithful God. (Psalm 31:5) Wasn’t it smart of God to send us into this world with nothing and then take us back with nothing so we’re reminded that the most valuable thing in life is that we belong to Him. Steve Chapman Soli gloriam dei . |
AuthorBeverly Illauq lives in Kemptville, Ontario, where she greets each morning by seeking the Gospel Mystery of the Day - the Word of the Lord for direct and practical application to the specific challenges & joys of the day. Archives
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