Category: Prayers

“Saul, for his part, concurred in the act of killing. That day saw the beginning of a great persecution of the Church.” –Acts 8:1 We can be witnessing for the risen Christ by preaching (Acts 2:14ff), healing (Acts 3:7), rejoicing (Acts 3:8; 8:8), worshiping (see Jn 20:28), suffering (Acts 5:40), and dying (Acts 7:60). We can also witness for the risen Christ by continuing to serve the Lord, especially during hard times. For example, “devout men buried Stephen, bewailing him loudly as they did so. After that, Saul began to harass the Church. He entered house after house, dragged men...

“Next He was seen by James; then by all the apostles.” –1 Corinthians 15:7 The risen Christ “was seen by Cephas, then by the Twelve. After that He was seen by five hundred brothers at once, most of whom are still alive, although some have fallen asleep. Next He was seen by James; then by all the apostles. Last of all He was seen by” Paul (1 Cor 15:5-8). These are only a few of many eyewitnesses who saw Jesus risen from the dead. Moreover, well over a billion people from all nations for about two thousand years have believed...

“What must we do to perform the works of God?” –John 6:28 Since we have been raised up in company with Christ, we set our hearts on what pertains to higher realms (Col 3:1). “The old order has passed away; now all is new!” (2 Cor 5:17; cf Rv 21:5) For example, now that we have been baptized into Jesus’ death and Resurrection, we look at work in a new, risen way. We no longer work “for perishable food but for food that remains unto life eternal” (Jn 6:27). We do “the work of God,” that is, we “have faith...

“He does not ration His gift of the Spirit.” –John 3:34 In today’s Gospel, we are told: “He does not ration His gift of the Spirit.” Many older readers might remember the shortages of material goods during the gasoline rationing in the early 1970s or the massive rationing during World War II. If you have lived during a time of rationing, you have learned how to adapt (Phil 4:11-12). Jesus reveals in today’s Gospel passage that God does not ration His gift of the Holy Spirit (Jn 3:34). Perhaps many of us have become accustomed to living without the Holy...

“Go out now and take your place in the temple precincts and preach to the people all about this new life.” –Acts 5:20 The Mass readings this week have been talking about being “born again,” begotten from above (see Jn 3:5). Just as an infant needs to be taught how to live in a new world, so “newborn” Christians need to be nurtured and taught. Thus, the angel commands the apostles to teach “the people all about this new life” (Acts 5:20). Parents, do you remember when your newborn infant was delivered in the hospital room? The baby had never...