COLLECT: “O GOD, WHO SET SAINT CATHERINE OF SIENA ON FIRE WITH DIVINE LOVE IN HER CONTEMPLATION OF THE LORD’S PASSION AND HER SERVICE OF YOUR CHURCH, GRANT, THROUGH HER INTERCESSION, THAT YOUR PEOPLE, PARTICIPATION IN THE MYSTERY OF CHRIST, MAY EVER EXULT IN THE REVELATION OF HIS GLORY. WHO LIVES AND REIGNS WITH YOU IN THE UNITY OF THE HOLY SPIRIT, GOD, FOREVER AND EVER. AMEN”.
Acts 14:5-18; Ps 113B:1-4,15-16 and Jn 14:21-26.
In the Letter to the Hebrews, we have it that, “At many moments in the past and by many means, God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets; but in our time, the final days, he has spoken to us in the person of his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things and through whom he made the ages” (Heb 1:1-2). It is also true that even before both the Old Testament and New Testament times, God, the Creator was not silent to speak to and reveal himself to humanity. He used other diverse ways and means to speak to, and to show himself to humankind. While in the case of the ancestors of the Old Testament, he used the prophets, in the case of the ancestors of other people, he used the Fetish priests, soothsayers, custodians of lesser gods/idols and spirits, and what have you, to speak to and reveal himself to them, of course in very dim and unclear ways and forms.
Therefore, just like what the author of the Letter to the Hebrews stated above, whether in the time of the ancestors of the Hebrews or any other people, including the Africans and especially the Dagaaba, it is evident that in our time, God, the Creator has spoken and he continues to speak to, and reveal himself to us through his Son Jesus Christ and clearly always demonstrates this in the Church. There is therefore no need to go hear God speak to us through his Son, and seeing him in his Son, and continue to stick to the former ways and means he used to speak to and reveal himself to our ancestors.
In the portion of the Acts of the Apostles we reflect on today, “the Living God, who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that is in them” works a wonderful miracle through Paul and Barnabas, in restoring to health a crippled man in Lystra, lame from birth. The man is now able to walk. This is a clear manifestation of the Living God to his people through his servants Paul and Barnabas. However, the people from Lystra think the gods of their ancestors have revisited them under the guise of Paul and Barnabas. Yes, Paul explains to the people in clear terms that God, “in past generations allowed all Gentiles to go their own ways; yet, in bestowing his goodness, he did not leave himself without witness, for he gave you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filled you with nourishment and gladness for your hearts” (Acts 14:17).
On our part, at our baptism and confirmation, we receive clear revelations and manifestations of the Living God and he has been speaking to us through his Son, the Word that became flesh. In this same Son of his, we see a clear manifestation of God the Creator. Also, at our baptism, we renounced sin and Satan (our old and sinful life and ways), represented by idols and some of the ways and means that God revealed himself and spoke to our ancestors. We also professed our belief in One God the Creator, in his Son, in the Holy Spirit, in the Holy Catholic Church, in the Communion of Saints, in the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body and life everlasting. However, sometimes, like the people of Lystra, we easily go back to these. A lot of Christians for whatever reason leave the Church, where they make these renunciations and baptismal promises. This is a clear betrayal of the Commandments of God on our part; that we love God and love our neighbours as ourselves.
The Lord is calling on and urging us today to evaluate our commitment to him. Indeed, *“whosoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. Whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him….. Whoever loves me will keep my word….Whoever does not love me does not keep my words"* (Jn 14:21ff). Let us pray today that the Holy Spirit, the Advocate may help us come back to believe in the Living God, always listen to him and always see him clearly with the eyes of our faith. Stay blessed and may your working week which you begin today be fruitful.
WE MEDITATE TODAY, MONDAY, ON THE JOYFUL MYSTERIES: ‘THE ANNUNCIATION, THE VISITATION, THE BIRTH OF JESUS, THE PRESENTATION IN THE TEMPLE AND THE FINDING OF THE CHILD JESUS IN THE TEMPLE’. (LET US PRAY FOR HUMILITY, LOVE OF NEIGHBOUR, POVERTY IN SPIRIT, OBEDIENCE AND JOY IN FINDING JESUS) “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 at the hour of our death, Amen”.
PRAYER: “MAY THE HEAVENLY TABLE AT WHICH WE HAVE BEEN FED, O LORD, CONFER ETERNAL LIFE UPON US, AS EVEN IN THIS WORLD IT NOURISHED THE LIFE OF SAINT CATHERINE. THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN”.
Rev. Fr. Aloysius Kpiebaya, Catholic Diocese of Wa, UW/R, Ghana. (00233) 0207867239/0545462863. Email: aloybaya20
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