Acts 13:13-35, John 18:16-20

 
King Saul & Judas Iscariot had this in common: They were both particularly chosen by God to be in privileged postions.  Saul was to become the first king of the Israelites and Judas was handpicked by Jesus to become one of his 12 Apostles.  But Saul and Judas also turned against God, each driven by an attitude uninformed by faith.  Out of fear, King Saul became worried about his status and tried to eliminate David who was anointed to become his successor. Out of personal greed Judas tossed faith to the wind and betrayed Jesus.  Protracted fear and greed are signs of faithlessness, and as they grasp a person’s spirit, they will consequently result in sin and torment , just as they produced sin and untimely death when they were unleashed in the lives of Saul and Judas.  Since Jesus lived and rose again and sent us the Holy Spirit to teach and empower us, we always have a choice to look to Jesus and follow his way, to the abundant life that is the Good News, instead of leaning to our own understanding of what is important in life.  Will I become sidetracked from the way of Jesus, by giving in to fear and greed?  Or will  I  faithfully walk with Christ Jesus and our Heavenly Father along the right path? Holy Spirit of God, help me follow you along the good path of abundant life.   
 
My faithfulness and steadfast love shall be with him; and in my name his name shall be exalted.     (Psalm 89)
 
Take care of your body as if you were going to live forever, and take care of your soul as if you were going to die tomorrow.
St. Augustine
 
Soli ad gloriam
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Acts 11:19 -26 & John 10:22 -30

 
Barnabas, whose name means Son of Encouragement, was prayerfully voted in by the Apostles to replace Judas Iscariot, the
Son of Perdition. It was because he was a ‘good man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith”. As the Psalmist says in Psalm 87, “all [his] springs were in God.” Barnabas received from God all his health, wealth and welfare.  As a result he was one of those to whom Jesus referred to as one of his faithful ‘sheep’, one who lived into his belonging to the family of God; one who could not be ‘snatched’ out of the presence of God by evil. Was Barnabas perfect? Did he live without conflict? Not so, as the book of Acts relates in later chapters. However, he remained faithful, even to a martyr’s death by crucifixion.  Am I like Barnabas, a good person, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith, and so firmly and safely held in the Jesus’ hand, in the hand of God our Father, beyond the reach of evil? Holy Spirit help me be a good woman/ man, full of the Holy Spirit and of faith.   
 
 
May God be gracious and bless us and make his face to shine upon us, that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.    (Psalm 67)
 
Do not lose heart. Today’s defeat is training for the final victory.
St. Josemaria Escriva
 
Soli ad gloriam
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John 3:31-36

 
The world with all of its masters, mindsets, and marvels seems to be the most important element of life.  It is easy to become mesmerized with local, national and international events on the one hand and the functioning of our bodies and households on the other.  But those who belong to the household of faith, arguably all the great artists, thinkers, and saints of the centuries in all cultures, know beyond a shadow of doubt that faith, hope, and love are not only essential to all life here on earth, but are ‘above’ all – and were, and are, incarnated in Christ Jesus. Because Christ Jesus, like he says twice in this passage of John’s gospel, is above all we can all ‘see’ him at any given time and know him present above and beyond the clouds of fear.  When I keep my heart, mind, soul and body focused on Christ, I am able to receive the Holy Spirit of God without measure, just as He did while alive here on earth.  Will I seek and find Christ Jesus, above all?  Holy Spirit of Jesus, help me know you above all.
 
 
I believe I shall see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.   (Psalm 27:13)
 
No prayer is ever lost.
St. John Vianny
 
Soli ad gloriam
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Acts 8, 26-40 & 2Timothy 4:1-5

 
Is it good news or is it not? If the coming, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus is truly extra-ordinary and startling, so healing and fulfilling for everyone, and so readily available, what keeps me from telling everyone, everywhere all the time that there is hope, through faith in God’s mercy as performed by Christ Jesus? “They’ll think I’m crazy!”; “I don’t know how to say it;” “That’s not my style.” I say to myself. If Philip had not actively (even running-ly) proclaimed the Good News of Jesus to the euuch from Ethiopia, when would the people of that area have heard about God’s Mercy in Christ Jesus?  If the apostles had not continued to proclaim what they had seen, heard and experienced pre-crucifixion and post-resurrection and had been quiet to protect themselves, when would we all have heard about God’s Mercy in Christ Jesus? What keeps me silent about the Good New sof Christ Jesus?  Will I like Philip run to be present with others and explain to them the Good News of the abundant life in Christ Jesus? Holy Spirit of God, help me proclaim the Good News of Christ Jesus.
 
Tell of his salvation from day to day!   (Psalm 96:2)
 
Lord you have my heart...
And I will praise you, Lord,
And I will sing of love come down,
And as you show your face,
We’ll see your glory here. 
Lord, you Have My Heart
 
Soli ad gloriam
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Acts 6:8-15

 
Stephen was a good man who was ‘full of grace and power; and did great wonders and signs among the people’. Some time after the crucifixion  Stephen was moved by the Holy Spirit of God to preach the truth of Jesus’ death and resurrection to Jewish authorities to bring them to repentance and the saving Grace of God.  A number of movers and shakers of the people in those days, who the writer says ‘could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which [Stephen] spoke’, had such a great devotion to their own power and self-righteousness that they actually put their hands over their ears to stop the word of God spoken by Stephen from entering their souls – and then proceeded to stone yet another good man to death.  When the Lord corrects me through the words and actions of others, will I, like the enemies of Stephen close my ears to their wisdom and the Holy Spirit of God, and get rid of those people, stone-walling them out of my life? Or will I listen attentively to the Truth that God is confronting me with, be corrected, and find redemption and new life in Christ Jesus?  Holy Spirit of God, help me hear your wisdom and be corrected. 
 
Put false ways far from me, and graciously teach me your law.   (Psalm 119)
 
You cannot put straight in others what is warped in yourself.
St. Athanasius  
 
Soli ad gloriam
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