Tuesday May 19, 2009

Tuesday May 19, 2009 of the Sixth Week of Easter
Readings: ACTS 16: 22-34 Psalm 138: 1-3, 7-8 John 16: 5-11
Psalm Response: “Your right hand saves me, O Lord.”

Paul and Silas continue their errand of mercy, bringing salvation to the pagan world. They weren’t greeted as messengers of God but rather as opponents of the realm.
Therefore, the magistrates had them flogged and tossed into prison, shackled with chains to the wall in the depths of the dungeon.
As missionaries for Christ, they were familiar with the suffering and flogging He had received at the hands of the pagan rulers and His warning they would also have to undergo privation, beatings and even death for the Faith.
So strong was their faith, even in their suffering, they praised God by the singing of Psalms. The other prisoners noted their faith and when the earth shook at God’s hand, they themselves shook with fear.
The jailer, charged with guarding them under the penalty, if they escaped, he would take their place, when the doors flew open and he assumed they had escaped decided to kill himself instead of replacing them with himself. Paul and Silas stopped him. When he realized God had intervened for them, he pleaded for help in attaining salvation.
Paul and Silas instructed him and his whole household in the faith and believing; they were all Baptized..
When all seems lost and we are prisoners of our sinful nature, it is then we should be on our knees begging God to intervene and give us the Faith to believe He saved us and will bring us to the Glory of Heaven, if we persevere.

What is the assurance we need when the time is ripe for our recognition of His care for us. Christ, before he ascended to the Father, assured His disciples He would send another Advocate to remind them and His Church of everything He had taught tham. The new Advocate would remain with them’til the end of the world!
We are heirs of the promise made to His disciples. The Holy Spirit was granted us at our Baptism and will remain, at time silent, in our hearts, ready to recall everything we’ve been taught by our Church.