Tagged: daily bread

“When Priscilla and Aquila heard him, they took him home and explained to him God’s new way in greater detail.” –Acts 18:26 The first Christian Pentecost had two parts. The Spirit was poured out on 120 disciples of Jesus in an upper room at 9AM on a Sunday (Acts 1:14, 15; 2:15). Later that day, the Spirit was received by 3,000 people in the streets of Jerusalem (Acts 2:41). Not only does “charity begin at home,” but often Pentecost begins at home, or at least in an upper room. Then it hits the streets, only to return to the home,...

“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...