Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3, Psalm 98:1-6, Matthew 10:7-13
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Acts 11:21-26; 13:1-3
My Beloved, unless we are filled with Your Holy Spirit as Barnabas was, the signs of the work of the Holy Spirit will not be visible. Nothing we do will be effective because it is not filled with power from above. We can be busy with many things from the rising of the sun to its setting but it will be empty, devoid of all merit or grace. Work undertaken through the prompting of the Holy Spirit will yield abundant fruit for the glory of God.
Barnabas, St. Paul and their companions are witness to this truth. Wherever they preached the Gospel many believed and the Church flourished.
It should be said of all Christians that we are good and filled with the Holy Spirit and faith as it was said of Barnabas, then the Church will never be short of teachers and prophets. Miracles, signs and wonders should accompany the celebration of the Holy Eucharist, our fasting accompanied by prayer should be powerful so that everyone can see the Holy Spirit at work as we teach, preach and live the life of the Gospel.
Psalm 98:1-6
My Beloved, filled with Your Spirit we can sing the whole day long because we do not count on our strength but Yours. Because You are a God of love who keeps His gaze lovingly upon us always, who is faithful even we are faithless, who saves us from our weaknesses and our folly, who is our ever present help in times of difficulty we have already tasted the goodness of God. Because we have experienced this power we rejoice and sing glad songs, we praise Him always, we rejoice in His goodness and we celebrate His love.
Matthew 10:7-13
My mission is the same as that which was given to Peter, Paul, Barnabas and everyone since who has given his or her life to You and to the spreading of the Gospel. The Kingdom of Heaven is present in our hearts in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation the sick are healed, the dead soul is revived, the dreaded leprosy of sin that deadens the soul and leaves corruption and decay in its wake is made clean and wholesome again like a newborn babe. Demons flee when the Lord lives in us and His works are made manifest through us for has He not promised that we will not only do everything that He did but even greater since He now is with His Father and pleads and intercedes for us night and day?
All I have received is a gift and I must share this largess freely with all. I must not burden myself and weigh myself down with the trinkets and baubles of this world as they only serve to distract me from my true purpose and goal which is to draw all to Christ.
I must be counted as among the worthy whom Your servants choose to visit and stay with. My house must be a home of peace because those who have visited it have left behind Your blessing.
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