Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul, Apostle
Lectionary: 519
Lectionary: 519
Paul addressed the people in these words:
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia,
but brought up in this city.
At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law
and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
I persecuted this Way to death,
binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.
Even the high priest and the whole council of elders
can testify on my behalf.
For from them I even received letters to the brothers
and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem
in chains for punishment those there as well.
“On that journey as I drew near to Damascus,
about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me.
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me,
‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’
And he said to me,
‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’
My companions saw the light
but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.
I asked, ‘What shall I do, sir?’
The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus,
and there you will be told about everything
appointed for you to do.’
Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light,
I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus.
“A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law,
and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
came to me and stood there and said,
‘Saul, my brother, regain your sight.’
And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him.
Then he said,
‘The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will,
to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice;
for you will be his witness before all
to what you have seen and heard.
Now, why delay?
Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away,
calling upon his name.’”
“I am a Jew, born in Tarsus in Cilicia,
but brought up in this city.
At the feet of Gamaliel I was educated strictly in our ancestral law
and was zealous for God, just as all of you are today.
I persecuted this Way to death,
binding both men and women and delivering them to prison.
Even the high priest and the whole council of elders
can testify on my behalf.
For from them I even received letters to the brothers
and set out for Damascus to bring back to Jerusalem
in chains for punishment those there as well.
“On that journey as I drew near to Damascus,
about noon a great light from the sky suddenly shone around me.
I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to me,
‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
I replied, ‘Who are you, sir?’
And he said to me,
‘I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.’
My companions saw the light
but did not hear the voice of the one who spoke to me.
I asked, ‘What shall I do, sir?’
The Lord answered me, ‘Get up and go into Damascus,
and there you will be told about everything
appointed for you to do.’
Since I could see nothing because of the brightness of that light,
I was led by hand by my companions and entered Damascus.
“A certain Ananias, a devout observer of the law,
and highly spoken of by all the Jews who lived there,
came to me and stood there and said,
‘Saul, my brother, regain your sight.’
And at that very moment I regained my sight and saw him.
Then he said,
‘The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will,
to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice;
for you will be his witness before all
to what you have seen and heard.
Now, why delay?
Get up and have yourself baptized and your sins washed away,
calling upon his name.’”
Or ACTS 9:1-22
Saul, still breathing murderous threats against the disciples of
the Lord,
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.
On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus,
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
He said, “Who are you, sir?”
The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,
and the Lord said to him in a vision, AAnanias.”
He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight.”
But Ananias replied,
“Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name.”
But the Lord said to him,
“Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.”
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.
All who heard him were astounded and said,
“Is not this the man who in Jerusalem
ravaged those who call upon this name,
and came here expressly to take them back in chains
to the chief priests?”
But Saul grew all the stronger
and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus,
proving that this is the Christ.
went to the high priest and asked him
for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, that,
if he should find any men or women who belonged to the Way,
he might bring them back to Jerusalem in chains.
On his journey, as he was nearing Damascus,
a light from the sky suddenly flashed around him.
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him,
“Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?”
He said, “Who are you, sir?”
The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting.
Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do.”
The men who were traveling with him stood speechless,
for they heard the voice but could see no one.
Saul got up from the ground,
but when he opened his eyes he could see nothing;
so they led him by the hand and brought him to Damascus.
For three days he was unable to see, and he neither ate nor drank.
There was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias,
and the Lord said to him in a vision, AAnanias.”
He answered, “Here I am, Lord.”
The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight
and ask at the house of Judas for a man from Tarsus named Saul.
He is there praying,
and in a vision he has seen a man named Ananias
come in and lay his hands on him,
that he may regain his sight.”
But Ananias replied,
“Lord, I have heard from many sources about this man,
what evil things he has done to your holy ones in Jerusalem.
And here he has authority from the chief priests
to imprison all who call upon your name.”
But the Lord said to him,
“Go, for this man is a chosen instrument of mine
to carry my name before Gentiles, kings, and children of Israel,
and I will show him what he will have to suffer for my name.”
So Ananias went and entered the house;
laying his hands on him, he said,
“Saul, my brother, the Lord has sent me,
Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came,
that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.”
Immediately things like scales fell from his eyes
and he regained his sight.
He got up and was baptized,
and when he had eaten, he recovered his strength.
He stayed some days with the disciples in Damascus,
and he began at once to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues,
that he is the Son of God.
All who heard him were astounded and said,
“Is not this the man who in Jerusalem
ravaged those who call upon this name,
and came here expressly to take them back in chains
to the chief priests?”
But Saul grew all the stronger
and confounded the Jews who lived in Damascus,
proving that this is the Christ.
Responsorial Psalm PS 117:1BC, 2
R. (Mark 16:15) Go out to all the world and tell the
Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Praise the LORD, all you nations;
glorify him, all you peoples!
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
For steadfast is his kindness toward us,
and the fidelity of the LORD endures forever.
R. Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News.
or:
R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Gospel MK
16:15-18
Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them:
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
“Go into the whole world
and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved;
whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe:
in my name they will drive out demons,
they will speak new languages.
They will pick up serpents with their hands,
and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them.
They will lay hands on the sick, and they will recover.”
Meditation: "Go into all the world and preach the
gospel"
Mark ends his gospel account with Jesus' last appearance to the
apostles before his ascension into heaven. Jesus' departure and ascension was
both an end and a beginning for his disciples. While it was the end of Jesus'
physical presence with his beloved disciples, it marked the beginning of Jesus'
presence with them in a new way. Jesus promised that he would be with them
always to the end of time. Now as the glorified and risen Lord and Savior,
ascended to the right hand of the Father in heaven, Jesus promised to send them
the Holy Spirit who would anoint them with power on the Feast of Pentecost,
just as Jesus was anointed for his ministry at the River Jordan. When the Lord
Jesus departed physically from the apostles, they were not left in sorrow or grief.
Instead, they were filled with joy and with great anticipation for the coming
of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus' last words to his apostles point to his saving mission
and to their mission to be witnesses of his saving death and his glorious
resurrection and to proclaim the good news of salvation to all the world. Their
task is to proclaim the good news of salvation, not only to the people of
Israel, but to all the nations. God's love and gift of salvation is not just
for a few, or for a nation, but it is for the whole world – for all who will
accept it. The gospel is the power of God, the power to forgive sins, to heal,
to deliver from evil and oppression, and to restore life. Do you believe in the
power of the gospel?
This is the great commission which the risen Christ gives to the
whole church. All believers have been given a share in this task – to be
heralds of the good news and ambassadors for Jesus Christ, the only savior of
the world. We have not been left alone in this task, for the risen Lord works in
and through us by the power of his Holy Spirit. Today we witness a new
Pentecost as the Lord pours out his Holy Spirit upon his people to renew and
strengthen the body of Christ and to equip it for effective ministry and
mission to every land and peoples. Do you witness to others the joy of the
gospel and the hope of the resurrection?
Conversion of Paul the Apostle
Many Christians celebrate today the conversion of St. Paul who became an apostle to the Gentile nations. Paul testified how he first opposed the gospel and persecuted Christians, but was converted when Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 22:3-16). Paul's encounter with the person of Christ radically changed his life and opened his eyes to the truth of the gospel. Benedict XVI reflects on the significance of Paul's conversion for the whole Christian people:
Many Christians celebrate today the conversion of St. Paul who became an apostle to the Gentile nations. Paul testified how he first opposed the gospel and persecuted Christians, but was converted when Christ appeared to him on the road to Damascus (Acts 22:3-16). Paul's encounter with the person of Christ radically changed his life and opened his eyes to the truth of the gospel. Benedict XVI reflects on the significance of Paul's conversion for the whole Christian people:
"Paul's conversion matured in his encounter with the Risen
Christ; it was this encounter that radically changed his life. What happened to
him on the road to Damascus is what Jesus asks in today's Gospel: Saul is
converted because, thanks to the divine light, "he has believed in the
Gospel". In this consists his and our conversion: in believing in Jesus
dead and risen and in opening to the illumination of his divine grace. In that
moment Saul understood that his salvation did not depend on good works
fulfilled according to the law, but on the fact that Jesus died also for him
the persecutor and has risen. This truth by which every Christian life is
enlightened thanks to Baptism completely overturns our way of life. To be
converted means, also for each one of us, to believe that Jesus "has given
himself for me", dying on the Cross (cf. Galatians 2: 20) and, risen,
lives with me and in me. Entrusting myself to the power of his forgiveness,
letting myself be taken by his hand, I can come out of the quicksands of pride
and sin, of deceit and sadness, of selfishness and of every false security, to
know and live the richness of his love." (from address given
on January 25, 2009)
“Lord Jesus, through the gift of your Holy Spirit, you fill us
with an indomitable spirit of praise and joy which no earthly trial can subdue.
Fill me with your resurrection joy and help me to live a life of praise and
thanksgiving for your glory. May I witness to those around me the joy of the
gospel and the reality of your resurrection.”
 Caught by the Mission |
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Feast of the Conversion of Saint Paul,
apostle
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Mark 16:15-18
Jesus appeared to the Eleven and said to them, "Go into
the whole world and proclaim the Gospel to every creature. Whoever believes
and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned.
These signs will accompany those who believe: in my name they will drive out
demons, they will speak new languages. They will pick up serpents with their
hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not harm them. They will
lay hands on the sick, and they will recover."
Introductory Prayer: Lord,
I renew my faith in the power of your word. I come to you today to listen to
you and allow you to lead me. I renew my trust in your mercy: You are
constantly looking upon me and the world with love. I want to love you in
return and lead others to love you.
Petition: Fill me with the
power of your good news, Lord.
1. The World Needs Messengers of Hope: Jesus
Christ is the message that everyone vitally needs. He is God’s message to
man, the message that tells people that God loves them deeply and offers them
a way to true life and salvation. Our world often looks for love in the wrong
places; it needs to find the answer to its deepest desires in Christ. But who
will spread this message? Those like St. Paul who take Christ’s love
seriously and see that they, too, can become messengers of hope. Am I meant
to be a messenger of hope?
2. God Acts Powerfully in Those Who Trust
Him: St. Paul is an example of what God can do through
someone who trusts in him. St. Paul valued the grace Christ gave him. He put
his life totally in the hands of Christ and was not afraid to proclaim him to
everyone he met. Even though Paul faced many difficulties, his work produced
enormous fruit and helped extend the number of Christian communities. Do I
believe that Christ can work through me as I participate in the New
Evangelization? In what ways can I trust him more?
3. Our Opportunity Is Now: St.
Paul and the first apostles did not wait until all the circumstances were
right before beginning evangelization. Once Christ had touched their lives
and once he had given them the command to begin, they began right away. The
Church has asked us to begin again today. Like St. Paul, we must feel that
the fire of Christ’s love impels us (cf. 2 Corinthians 5:14). We cannot wait
until the circumstances are favorable; we must do whatever we can now. We
have already experienced Christ’s love. Why are we waiting to share it? What
holds me back from a greater surrender to the work of evangelization?
Conversation with Christ: Lord,
like Saint Paul I have been touched by your love, and I have heard your
command to go out and spread the good news. I renew my trust in your
companionship, and I resolve to do all I can to bring your Gospel to others.
Help me to keep my eyes on you.
Resolution: Today
I will share a thought from the Gospel or from the Holy Father’s teaching
with at least two people whom I encounter.
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FEAST OF THE CONVERSION OF PAUL, APOSTLE
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, MARK 16:15-18
(Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22; Psalm 117)
SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, MARK 16:15-18
(Acts 22:3-16 or Acts 9:1-22; Psalm 117)
KEY VERSE: "He said to them, `Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature'" (v 15).
READING: This section of Mark's gospel (verses 9-20) is termed the "Longer Ending," material that includes: Christ's appearance to Mary Magdalene (Jn 20:1-18) and to two disciples on the road to Emmaus (Lk 24:13-24). The disciples refused to believe these witnesses, and later, when they "were at table" (v 14, the Eucharist), the Lord appeared to them and rebuked them for their unbelief. Jesus then commissioned his followers to go into the world and proclaim the message of salvation to everyone. This information was added from other gospels to complete what was thought to be an abrupt ending to Mark's gospel in which the women fled from the empty tomb, afraid to say anything to anyone (Mk 16:8). But Mark's purpose in writing was complete. Mark was warning the Christian community to be fearless in announcing the gospel of Jesus, who had been raised from the dead just as he told his followers.
REFLECTING: Let us "who hold and teach the Catholic faith that comes to us from the apostles" [Eucharistic Prayer I], continue in our own time to hand on the faith that we have received, just as the apostles did in their time.
PRAYING: St. Paul, help me to proclaim the gospel in everything I say and do.
FEAST OF THE CONVERSION
OF PAUL, APOSTLE
The Conversion of St. Paul is the only feast day in the church year that commemorates a conversion of a person. Paul was the most prominent Christian missionary of the early church, writing one third of the New Testament. He was born (c.10) as Saul (his Jewish name) at Tarsus in Cilicia (modern Turkey, Acts 21:39). His father was a Roman citizen. Saul was a student of the Law, and a tent-maker by trade. He was a Pharisee who hated and persecuted Christians as heretical, even assisting at the stoning of Stephen. On his way to arrest Christians in Damascus, Paul experienced a vision of the risen Lord who told him that in persecuting Christians, he was persecuting Christ (Acts 9:3-5). The Lord then commissioned him to preach the Gospel. He was baptized, using his Roman name Paul to reflect his new vocation, and began traveling and preaching as an Apostle to the Gentiles (Ro 11:13, Gal 2:8). Paul embarked on three missionary journeys, founding churches in many areas, and writing letters to encourage and correct those struggling communities. In the year 57 Paul was arrested and sent to Rome where he was imprisoned and beheaded during the Emperor Nero's persecution of the Christians (67-68 CE). According to Clement of Rome, Paul was released before this and evangelized in Spain and elsewhere. Paul is interred in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls in Rome. More than anything else, Paul's determination was to preach nothing but "Jesus Christ, and him crucified" (1 Cor 2: 2).
MINUTE MEDITATIONS
Papacy History
The papacy isn't an invention of the Middle Ages or some fiction
created by the Emperor Constantine. This succession of Popes is historical
fact—and one of the most amazing facts of history at that.
Go out to all the world, and tell the Good News
Saul, the persecutor, ‘zealous for God’, or so he claimed, was
spreading pain, suffering and death in the name of God.Paul’s dramatic conversion on the way to Damascus and his loving reception among the Christian community were the antithesis of his earlier trailblazing campaign. His introduction to the Way gave him a completely new perspective on the Jesus he had been persecuting. The end of Mark’s gospel gives us an interesting picture of the kingdom of God: faith and baptism, the curing of the sick. But it also includes some aspects which might seem bizarre to people of our time: casting out demons, speaking in tongues, snake handling - not exactly aspects of a time of quiet prayer. Paul’s proclamation of the Gospel, however, concentrated on the love and dedication of the Lord Jesus, even to his death on the cross and the need for steadfast loyalty in all those who followed him.
January
25
Conversion of St. Paul
Conversion of St. Paul
Paul’s entire life can be explained in terms of one experience—his
meeting with Jesus on the road to Damascus. In an instant, he saw that all the
zeal of his dynamic personality was being wasted, like the strength of a boxer
swinging wildly. Perhaps he had never seen Jesus, who was only a few years
older. But he had acquired a zealot’s hatred of all Jesus stood for, as he
began to harass the Church: “...entering house after house and dragging out men
and women, he handed them over for imprisonment” (Acts 8:3b). Now he himself
was “entered,” possessed, all his energy harnessed to one goal—being a slave of
Christ in the ministry of reconciliation, an instrument to help others
experience the one Savior.
One
sentence determined his theology: “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting” (Acts
9:5b). Jesus was mysteriously identified with people—the loving group of people
Saul had been running down like criminals. Jesus, he saw, was the mysterious
fulfillment of all he had been blindly pursuing.
From then
on, his only work was to “present everyone perfect in Christ. For this I labor
and struggle, in accord with the exercise of his power working within me”
(Colossians 1:28b-29). “For our gospel did not come to you in word alone, but
also in power and in the Holy Spirit and [with] much conviction” (1
Thessalonians 1:5a).
Paul’s
life became a tireless proclaiming and living out of the message of the cross:
Christians die baptismally to sin and are buried with Christ; they are dead to
all that is sinful and unredeemed in the world. They are made into a new
creation, already sharing Christ’s victory and someday to rise from the dead
like him. Through this risen Christ the Father pours out the Spirit on them,
making them completely new.
So Paul’s
great message to the world was: You are saved entirely by God, not by anything
you can do. Saving faith is the gift of total, free, personal and loving
commitment to Christ, a commitment that then bears fruit in more “works” than
the Law could ever contemplate.
Comment:
Paul is undoubtedly hard to understand. His style often reflects the rabbinical style of argument of his day, and often his thought skips on mountaintops while we plod below. But perhaps our problems are accentuated by the fact that so many beautiful jewels have become part of the everyday coin in our Christian language (see quote, below).
Paul is undoubtedly hard to understand. His style often reflects the rabbinical style of argument of his day, and often his thought skips on mountaintops while we plod below. But perhaps our problems are accentuated by the fact that so many beautiful jewels have become part of the everyday coin in our Christian language (see quote, below).
Quote:
“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
“Love is patient, love is kind. It is not jealous, [love] is not pompous, it is not inflated, it is not rude, it does not seek its own interests, it is not quick-tempered, it does not brood over injury, it does not rejoice over wrongdoing but rejoices with the truth. It bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things” (1 Corinthians 13:4-7).
LECTIO DIVINA:
CONVERSION OF SAINT PAUL
Lectio:
Saturday, January 25, 2014
Ordinary Time
1) Opening prayer
Father of heaven and earth,
hear our prayers,
and show us the way to your peace in the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
hear our prayers,
and show us the way to your peace in the world.
We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
2) Gospel Reading - Mark 16,15-18
And he said to them, 'Go out to the whole world; proclaim the
gospel to all creation. Whoever believes and is baptised will be saved; whoever
does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated
with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift
of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed should they
drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.'
3) Reflection
• The signs which accompany the proclamation or announcement of
the Good News. And finally Jesus
appears to the eleven disciples and reproached them because they had not
believed the persons who had seen him Risen. Once again, Mark refers to the
resistance of the disciples to believe in the witness of those, men and women,
who had made an experience of the Resurrection of Jesus. Why would this be so?
Probably, in order to teach two things. In the first place, that
faith in Jesus goes through the faith in persons who give witness.Second,
that nobody should get discouraged, when incredulity comes from the heart.
Finally, the eleven disciples had doubts!
• Then Jesus gives them the mission of announcing the Good News to all creatures. The requirement which he indicates is the following: to believe and to be baptized. To those who had the courage to believe in the Good News and who are baptized, he promises them the followings signs: they will cast out devils, they will have the gift of tongues, they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison, they will lay their hands on the sick who will recover. This happens up until now:
- To cast out devils; is to fight against the force of evil which destroys life. The life of many persons has improved for having entered a community and for having begun to live the Good News of the presence of God in their life.
- To have the gift of tongues: is to begin to communicate with the others in a new form. Sometimes, we find a person whom we never have seen before, but it seems to us that we have known her for a long time . This happens because we speak the same language, the language of love.
- They will be unharmed if they take deadly poison: there are many things which poison living together. Much gossip which destroys the relationship between persons. The one who lives in the presence of God goes beyond this and succeeds in not being bothered by this terrible poison.
- Cures the sick: wherever there is a clearer and more dynamic conscience of the presence of God, there is also a special attention toward oppressed and marginalized persons, especially sick persons. What helps the person more to heal, is to feel accepted and loved.
- Through the community, Jesus continues his mission: Jesus himself who lived in Palestine, where he accepted the poor of his time, revealing in this way, the love of the Father, this same Jesus continues alive in our midst, in our communities. And through us he continues his mission, revealing the Good News of the Love of God for the poor. Up until today, the Resurrection takes place, which urges us to sing: “Who will separate us, who will separate us from the love of Christ, who will separate us?” (cf. Rm 8, 38-39). No power of this world is capable to counteract the force which comes from faith in the Resurrection (Rm 8, 35-39). A community which wants to be witness of the Resurrection has to be a sign of life, should fight against the forces of death, in a way that the world may be a favourable place for life, and should believe that a different world is possible. Above all in Latin America, where the life of the people is in danger because of the system of death which has been imposed; the communities have to be a living proof of the hope which overcomes the world, without fear of being happy!
• Then Jesus gives them the mission of announcing the Good News to all creatures. The requirement which he indicates is the following: to believe and to be baptized. To those who had the courage to believe in the Good News and who are baptized, he promises them the followings signs: they will cast out devils, they will have the gift of tongues, they will pick up snakes in their hands and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison, they will lay their hands on the sick who will recover. This happens up until now:
- To cast out devils; is to fight against the force of evil which destroys life. The life of many persons has improved for having entered a community and for having begun to live the Good News of the presence of God in their life.
- To have the gift of tongues: is to begin to communicate with the others in a new form. Sometimes, we find a person whom we never have seen before, but it seems to us that we have known her for a long time . This happens because we speak the same language, the language of love.
- They will be unharmed if they take deadly poison: there are many things which poison living together. Much gossip which destroys the relationship between persons. The one who lives in the presence of God goes beyond this and succeeds in not being bothered by this terrible poison.
- Cures the sick: wherever there is a clearer and more dynamic conscience of the presence of God, there is also a special attention toward oppressed and marginalized persons, especially sick persons. What helps the person more to heal, is to feel accepted and loved.
- Through the community, Jesus continues his mission: Jesus himself who lived in Palestine, where he accepted the poor of his time, revealing in this way, the love of the Father, this same Jesus continues alive in our midst, in our communities. And through us he continues his mission, revealing the Good News of the Love of God for the poor. Up until today, the Resurrection takes place, which urges us to sing: “Who will separate us, who will separate us from the love of Christ, who will separate us?” (cf. Rm 8, 38-39). No power of this world is capable to counteract the force which comes from faith in the Resurrection (Rm 8, 35-39). A community which wants to be witness of the Resurrection has to be a sign of life, should fight against the forces of death, in a way that the world may be a favourable place for life, and should believe that a different world is possible. Above all in Latin America, where the life of the people is in danger because of the system of death which has been imposed; the communities have to be a living proof of the hope which overcomes the world, without fear of being happy!
4) Personal questions
• To
cast out devils, to have the gift of new tongues, to be unharmed by deadly
poison and by the snakes, to impose the hands on the sick: Have you fulfilled
any of these signs?
• Does Jesus continue his mission through us and through our community? Is he able to fulfil this mission in our community? How and in which way?
• Does Jesus continue his mission through us and through our community? Is he able to fulfil this mission in our community? How and in which way?
5) Concluding prayer
Praise Yahweh, all nations,
extol him, all peoples,
for his faithful love is strong
and his constancy never-ending. (Ps 117,1-2)
extol him, all peoples,
for his faithful love is strong
and his constancy never-ending. (Ps 117,1-2)
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