After the Israelites had crossed the sea and the Lord had bogged the Egyptians' chariot wheels in the midst of the sea, Moses again "stretched out his hand over the sea, and at dawn the sea flowed back to its normal depth" (Ex 14:27). This drowned the Egyptian army.
When Moses stretched out his hand, he did miracles. However, when Jesus extended His hands (Mt 12:49), He did even greater things. Jesus extended His hands to us, His disciples, and said: "There are My mother and My brothers. Whoever does the will of My heavenly Father is brother and sister and mother to Me" (Mt 12:50). When Jesus extended His hands, He told us, who obey His Father's will, that we are His brothers, sisters, and mothers. We are members of God's family. We have a personal, intimate relationship with Jesus, Son of God, God Himself, second Person of the Trinity.
Stretch out your hand to the extended, nail-scarred hands of Jesus. Give Jesus a hand, even if that means having nail-scarred hands yourself. Be more than a Moses (see Mt 11:11). Be a member of God's family.
| PRAYER: | Father, when I receive Holy Communion, may I consecrate my hands to You. |
| PROMISE: | "I will sing to the Lord, for He is gloriously triumphant." –Ex 15:1 |
| PRAISE: | St. Apollinaris, who was appointed Bishop of Ravenna by St. Peter, converted many by his preaching. The pagans, angered by his success, repeatedly beat him and tried to kill him. They finally succeeded in killing him after he was bishop for 26 years. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College