It’s been a fun morning already. My brother Joe is celebrating his birthday today and my siblings and I have been sharing (via text messages) well wishes to him and also sharing fond memories of birthday’s past . My Mom and Dad went out of their way to make our birthday’s special growing up and I can’t thank them enough for those traditions that I’ve carried on with my children.
Growing up my parents could be very disciplinary and it wasn’t out of the ordinary to have a belt taken to our derrieres when they determined it was necessary. Never, after being “flogged”, did I recall taking the attitude of the Apostles that we read about in Today’s Readings…
After recalling the Apostles, they had them flogged,
ordered them to stop speaking in the name of Jesus,
and dismissed them.
So they left the presence of the Sanhedrin,
rejoicing that they had been found worthy
to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name.
And all day long, both at the temple and in their homes,
they did not stop teaching and proclaiming the Christ, Jesus.
I do remember at times speaking in the “name of Jesus” after one of those spankings, but I don’t think it had the same meaning and ended getting me in more trouble. I hope to make a simple point this morning. Not a few days before this rejoicing, the Apostles could be found cowering in room in fear of everything that had just happened. My point, don’t be afraid to accept the Holy Spirit in you life and let Him transform you into an apostle too. It’s never to late to profess your faith in God, profess your love for Christ and do the works of God’s Holy Will. If your end goal is to truly seek to live in the House of the Lord, now would be a good time to start achieving that goal.
Do something great for our Lord today – profess your love for Him. Live in His ways; live in His truth. Don’t be afraid to take your proverbial whooping in doing His works.
God’s will, not mine, be done.
Be not afraid; just have faith.
Jesus, I trust in You.
He must increase; I must decrease.
Lord, if You wish, You can make me clean.
But you man of God chose righteousness, devotion, faith, love, patience and gentleness. Compete well for the faith.
Eternal God, in Whom mercy is endless and the treasury of compassion – inexhaustible, look kindly upon us and increase Your mercy in us so that in difficult moments we may not despair nor become despondent but with great confidence, submit ourselves to Your holy will, which is Love and Mercy itself.
St. Mary Magdalen Men of God 