Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Wednesday May 6, 2009

Wednesday May 6, 2009 of the Fourth Week of Easter

Readings ACTS 12: 24- 13: 5a Psalm 67: 2-6, 8 John 12: 44-50
Psalm response: “ O God, let all the Nations praise You”!

We may ponder how a little group of dedicated men and women could have been so influential, in their lifetime, they could see the miracle of faith spread among the Gentile nations. After all, only among the Jews was there any honor extended to the One God.. The balance of the world, may have been dedicated to a particular god but they wouldn’t have claimed the honor due only to their god, but to all gods.
Along comes these itinerant preachers claiming One, Jesus, having been killed and three days later rising whole and entire and appearing to many of His associates and dining, talking and teaching them before they watched as He ascended to His Father.
However, they were filled with the Spirit of God and their words and actions were so convincing few denied their premises.
The same Spirit, in order to spread the Gospel beyond the territory they were familiar with designated Saul and Barnabus to be Christ’s herald to the rest of the known world.
So, these two Apostles ventured where no one dared, to bring the joyous message of salvation and forgiveness to those who hadn’t yet experienced it.
We have the same opportunity facing us every day. We may not have the eternal words to convince many but by our actions, the words will pour forth perhaps to, one day, bring a lost soul into God’s light and Grace.

As a prelude to their mission, the words of the Psalm Response urge the Nations to praise Him. When the words of the psalm are repeated in the Liturgy of the Hours, we can almost feel the Spirit’s action to bring everyone to the knowledge of their Savior.

Jesus answers the skeptics who wouldn’t believe the signs and wonders He performed before their very eyes.
They wanted Him to state unequivocally, He was the One God sent. Although His words and signs should have been proof positive of His Divinity, their intent on hearing Him proclaim Himself to be God in no uncertain terms was to entrap Him into their interpretation of Blasphemy and subject to the death penalty.
We are many generations removed from those murderers but we want “Proof Positive” also. Those who do not believe His words of Consecration, deny His presence in the Sacrament of His Body and Blood.
We must only abide in the edicts of our Church to know without equivocation His words to the Church are eternal and true. “ Whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven”!

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