Category: Bible Reading & Meditation

“May another take his office.” –Acts 1:20 During this Pentecost novena, which begins tomorrow, we must replace our Judases with Matthiases. The apostles had spent nearly every day with Judas for about three years. After he sold Christ for thirty pieces of silver and then committed suicide, the apostles were probably traumatized, guilt-ridden, and confused. They had to deal with this catastrophe before they could receive the Holy Spirit of Pentecost. They had to replace the pain associated with Judas with the peace and healing associated with Matthias. To receive the Holy Spirit this Pentecost, you too may have to...

“I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now.” –John 16:12 Several decades ago, I began my computer programming career. During my first month on the job, so much new information came my way that I left work each day with a headache from information overload. I learned much daily, yet my boss had a great deal more to teach me, and I couldn’t bear it yet. Likewise, schools separate students into twelve grades. High-school subjects are not taught to first-graders; they aren’t mentally ready for that yet. Besides being mentally unable to bear information, people...

He “joyfully celebrated with his whole family his newfound faith in God.” –Acts 16:34 The converted jailer immediately shared his faith with his family and joyfully celebrated God’s new life with them. Here are some ways for a family to celebrate their faith in God: anniversaries: celebrating the day each family member received Sacraments, such as Baptism (Acts 16:34), First Holy Communion, Confirmation, Matrimony, etc., patron saints: celebrating the feast day of the patron saint of each family member (or the saint they were named for), monthly Confession parties: the family goes to Confession together and celebrates afterward (e.g. Lk...

“A time will come when anyone who puts you to death will claim to be serving God!” –John 16:2 The Holy Spirit witnesses for Jesus and calls us to do the same (Jn 15:26-27). This is one of the main reasons why many Christians don’t want the Holy Spirit to be very active in their lives. Although they realize that witnessing is an act of love which will lead people to Christ, they also know that witnessing will result in personally suffering and being persecuted. Jesus’ witnesses will be expelled even from Church and, moreover, may be put to death...

“Beloved, let us love one another because love is of God.” –1 John 4:7 Jesus loves us as God the Father loves Him (Jn 15:9). Jesus reveals the Father’s love so that we will accept that love and make love the very atmosphere in which we live (Jn 15:10). Then, after first being loved (1 Jn 4:19), we can love one another (Jn 15:17) even as Christ has loved us (Jn 15:12) and lay down our lives in love even for our enemies (Rm 5:8; 1 Jn 3:16). “Love, then, consists in this: not that we have loved God but...