Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

“I tell you truly: you will weep and mourn while the world rejoices; you will grieve for a time, but your grief will be turned into joy.” —John 16:20 Imagine a little boy sitting in a swing. This child’s slightly older brother begins to push his brother in the swing. At first, the younger brother is delighted. Then his brother pushes the swing harder. The younger brother begins to become afraid. He cries to his brother to stop. The older brother pushes even harder. The younger child begins to scream and cry. This scene is analogous to trusting in the...

“Some began to scoff…” —Acts 17:32, RNAB St. Paul attempted to spread the Good News of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ everywhere, even in the Areopagus of his day. Some scoffed and sneered at Paul and his message (Acts 17:32). Psalm 22 describes prophetically the reaction of the crowd to the crucified Jesus: “All who see Me scoff at Me; they mock Me with parted lips, they wag their heads” (Ps 22:8). It can be discouraging to be scoffed at, particularly by those who do not give you a full and fair hearing, and by those whose name you don’t...

“Do not harm yourself! We are all still here.” —Acts 16:28 Because Paul and Silas had received the Holy Spirit, they had the mind of Christ (1 Cor 2:16) and were filled with that perfect love without fear. Like their Savior, they were focused on salvation of souls and not on their own needs. Paul and Silas focused only on the will of God, so they thought instantly of the salvation of the jailer, who was about to commit suicide (Acts 16:27). The jailer accepted salvation, took Paul and Silas into his house for a few hours, and his entire...

“When the Paraclete comes, the Spirit of truth Who comes from the Father — and Whom I Myself will send from the Father — He will bear witness on My behalf.” —John 15:26 The Holy Spirit bears witness on behalf of Jesus, and those who live in the Spirit must “also witness” (Jn 15:27, our transl). To witness for the risen Jesus is beyond human power. That is why Jesus’ witnesses must receive the power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:8). It is both liberating and fearsome to do something beyond our human powers. For example, if Jesus gave you...

“It is the decision of the Holy Spirit, and ours too.” —Acts 15:28 Two weeks from today, we will celebrate Pentecost. We will have the possibility of receiving in a new way the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, Whom the Father will send in Jesus’ name (Jn 14:26). The Spirit plans to instruct us in everything and remind us of all that Jesus told us (Jn 14:26). This instructing and reminding from the Spirit, if discerned and heeded, will have such an effect on our lives that our decisions will also be the decisions of the Holy Spirit (Acts 15:28). Therefore,...