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May 20, 2014

The gospel tells us that Jesus came into the world not only to show us how much God loves us, but also how much he loves his Father. That is why he was willing to suffer the passion and death out of obedience to his Father. How many of us are willing to suffer for others, much less suffer for God? Jesus’ sacrifice is not only a model of generous self-giving but also an example of how to love God our Father. Obviously he had an intimate and loving relationship with God. We must also have an intimate relationship with God in order to discover and understand his plan of salvation for us. In order to do God’s will in our lives, we must first know what it is. We must also discover His fatherhood before we could love Him above all things and put Him at the first place in our lives.

In the first reading, St. Paul knew what God’s will for him was – to proclaim the Good News anywhere and everywhere, accepted or rejected, to anyone and everyone. He was ready to suffer all hardships for the evangelization. Therefore God was with him in his missionary travels and helped him create many Christian communities in Asia Minor. Despite strong oppositions from both Jews and Gentiles, St. Paul pushed on and now we look up to him as the greatest model of all Christian missionaries.

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 30, Issue 3

<< Tuesday, May 20, 2014 >>

St. Bernardine of Siena

Acts 14:19-28
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Psalm 145:10-13, 21

John 14:27-31
Similar Reflections

UNFINISHED BUSINESS?

"They stoned Paul and dragged him out of the town, leaving him there for dead. His disciples quickly formed a circle about him, and before long he got up and went back into the town." —Acts 14:19-20

On the first Christian missionary journey, Paul and Barnabas were thrown out of Pisidian Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. As soon as possible, they went back into these three places to finish the job of starting these churches (Acts 14:21). "They gave their disciples reassurances, and encouraged them to persevere in the faith with this instruction: 'We must undergo many trials if we are to enter into the reign of God.' In each church, they installed presbyters and, with prayer and fasting, commended them to the Lord" (Acts 14:22-23). Likewise, to build the Church, we must encourage the disciples to persevere in the faith while suffering many trials, and we must pray, fast, and raise up leaders for the Church.

Is your parish church, Christian community, and family frequently encouraged to suffer redemptively? Are you praying and fasting as a community for your leaders and for new leaders in the Church throughout the world? If we shared our faith enough to merit persecution and suffering, the Church wouldn't be divided, weakened, and watered down. If, in our sufferings, we also prayed and fasted for the Church's leaders, we wouldn't be having a vocations crisis but an explosion of leadership and new life in the Church.

Evangelize, suffer, pray, fast, and see the Church as the Lord intended it to be.

Prayer: Father, teach me to pray, fast, and suffer.

Promise: " 'Peace' is My farewell to you, My peace is My gift to you; I do not give it to you as the world gives peace. Do not be distressed or fearful." —Jn 14:27

Praise: St. Bernardine was a special champion of promoting devotion to the Holy Name of Jesus. In addition, his weak and hoarse preaching voice was healed in response to his frequent intercession to and devotion toward Mary.