Tagged: Daily Promises

NAME-CHANGE

“He encouraged them all to remain firm in their commitment to the Lord, since he himself was a good man filled with the Holy Spirit and faith.” —Acts 11:23-24 Joseph’s name was changed to Barnabas because he was such an encouragement to the Church through his words and finances (Acts 4:36-37). The name “Barnabas” means “son of encouragement” (Acts 4:36). For a Jew, the name “Joseph” referred to the Joseph of the book of Genesis. He had great dreams, was sold into slavery by his brothers, and was eventually responsible for the survival of Egypt and the rest of the...

MOTHER OF US ALL

“One and all were born in her; And he who has established her is the Most High Lord.” —Psalm 87:5 Do you feel frustrated when not getting the support you need? In life, our human frailties often prevent us from serving one another as we should. But don’t despair! “We believe that the Holy Mother of God, the new Eve, Mother of the Church, continues in heaven to exercise her maternal role on behalf of the members of Christ” (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 975). As Mary “stood near the cross of Jesus,” mother and Son shared the ultimate moment...

PENTECOSTS PAST AND PRESENT

“When the day of Pentecost came it found them gathered in one place.” —Acts 2:1 One-hundred-and-twenty of Jesus’ disciples had been devoting themselves to constant prayer for nine days (Acts 1:14). As they began praying at about 9 AM on the tenth day, “suddenly from up in the sky there came a noise like a strong, driving wind” (Acts 2:2). After the Holy Spirit introduced Himself audibly, He manifested Himself visibly when “tongues as of fire appeared” (Acts 2:3). These exterior manifestations indicated interior transformations in the hearts of Jesus’ disciples (see Acts 15:9). Then they spoke from the abundance...

HAPPY ENDINGS

“Follow Me.” —John 21:22 As we near the end of the Easter season and prepare for a new Pentecost, the last word from the Acts of the Apostles is that we, like Paul, are to preach and teach about Jesus and His kingdom “with full assurance, and without any hindrance” (Acts 28:31). The last word from John’s Gospel is that we, like Peter, are to follow Jesus and refuse to be distracted with other matters (Jn 21:22). In other words, let’s bolt from the upper room of Pentecost and follow Jesus into the streets, homes, and neighborhoods, where we will...

DO YOU LOVE JESUS?

“Peter was hurt because He had asked a third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ So he said to Him: ‘Lord, You know everything. You know well that I love You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Feed My sheep.’ ” —John 21:17 If we love Jesus, we will feed His sheep, that is, we will feed God’s people with God’s Word, for “not on bread alone is man to live but on every utterance that comes from the mouth of God” (Mt 4:4; Dt 8:3). Peter showed his love for Jesus by standing up on the first Pentecost Sunday, proclaiming Jesus as...