COLLECT: “GRANT, WE PRAY, ALMIGHTY GOD, THAT, CELEBRATING THE MYSTERIES OF THE LORD’S RESURRECTION, WE MAY MERIT TO RECEIVE THE JOY OF OUR REDEMPTION. THROUGH OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST, YOUR SON, WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOR EVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Acts 11:19-26; Ps 86:1-7 and Jn 10:22-30.
Today’s portion from the Acts of the Apostles tells us how the disciples scattered to other places because of the active persecution that arose in Jerusalem after the martyrdom of Stephen. Despite the active persecution waged on the disciples, many people in Antioch were coming to the faith. “The hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord”. The Church in Jerusalem upon hearing the spread of the good news in these areas sent Barnabas to Antioch. He encouraged them to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart. The second passage we meditate on is from the Gospel of John 10:22-30. Jesus tells his listeners that the works he does in his Father’s name testify that he is the Christ, who is one with the Father. He also tells them that he is the good shepherd whose sheep hear his voice. The sheep know him and follow him to give them eternal life and no one can take them out of his hand.
In Romans 8:35ff, we read that nothing in this world should separate us from the love of Christ. Persecution, peril, the sword, insults, nakedness, hunger, etc. should not separate us from Christ’s love which has been poured into our hearts. Before these words from Paul, the Holy Spirit so to speak, enlightened and inspired the early Christians/disciples to live this way. They were being persecuted in Jerusalem but they did not abandon the faith. They continued to propagate and proclaim the good news in the foreign towns and cities where they found themselves as a result of the persecution. In a sense, persecution did not put a stop to their faith, it did not take them out of the hands of the Lord for, no one, or nothing in the world “can take them out of the Father’s hand” (Cf. Jn 10:30). Barnabas who was sent by the Jerusalem Church to Antioch played a very important role in the lives of both the persecuted disciples as well as the newly converts in Antioch with his words of encouragement for them to “remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart”. Barnabas was also a source of encouragement for Paul as he went to Tarsus to look for Paul and when he found him, he brought him to Antioch where the two proclaimed the good news for a whole year. The disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.
Great lessons we can learn from today’s passages. Challenges we encounter in this life should not take us away from the love of Christ to the extent that we recoil from witnessing to him as well as from doing good to others and to the world. We should always rejoice in our trial suffering, that is, when we are being tested because of our faith. God will always triumph in our trial sufferings. Secondly, we should be modern-day “Barnabases” to others, especially those who are going through some form of persecution in this life. Some people are going through persecution because of their faith, others are being persecuted in their marriages, in their professions or jobs, in their vocations and some people are even persecuted innocently or for no apparent reason. We have to “barnabas” or encourage such people not to give up but to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart and place all that they are going through in the hands of the Lord. Therefore, be encouraged today.
Let us pray that nothing in this world should separate us from following Christ and doing his will. We also pray that we may be ‘encouragers’ but not ‘discouragers’ in people’s lives, especially those who are going through some form of persecution in this life. Good day, courage and stay blessed.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, TUESDAY, ON THE SORROWFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE AGONY IN THE GARDEN, THE SCOURGING AT THE PILLAR, THE CROWNING WITH THORNS, THE CARRYING OF THE CROSS AND THE CRUCIFIXION’ (WE PRAY FOR SORROW FOR SIN, PURITY, COURAGE, PATIENCE, AND PERSEVERANCE) “Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with you, blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb Jesus: Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us, sinners, now and the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “HEAR, O LORD, OUR PRAYERS, THAT THIS MOST HOLY EXCHANGE, BY WHICH YOU HAVE REDEEMED US, MAY BRING YOUR HELP IN THIS PRESENT LIFE AND ENSURE FOR US ETERNAL GLADNESS. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863.
No comments yet. Be the first to comment!