The Lord commands us to be His witnesses, but always gives us the grace to obey His commands. He empowers us to be His witnesses by changing our hearts through His word (Lk 24:32), opening our eyes through the Eucharist (Lk 24:30-31), and restoring our bodies through His healing (Acts 3:7). The risen Christ will touch us in some way with His nail-scar s to empower us as witnesses to His resurrection. All we have to do is obey Him.
When He gives us opportunities to get into His word, celebrate the Eucharist, or receive prayers for healing, we must cooperate. If we Christians would simply obey the risen Christ, the whole world would be transformed by the good news of Jesus' resurrection. The unbelieving world is an indictment against Christians. It indicates that most Christians are repeatedly disobeying the risen Christ. Otherwise, He would empower us to be His witnesses.
We must repent of our rebellion and let the Lord transform our weakness into a dramatic proclamation of Jesus' resurrection-power. In our disobedience, God's power is resisted but in our weakness, the risen Lord's power can reach perfection (2 Cor 12:9).
PRAYER: | Father, forgive me for insisting on remaining blind, sick, and weak. May I go to Confession as soon as possible. |
PROMISE: | "They recounted what had happened on the road and how they had come to know Him in the breaking of bread." –Lk 24:35 |
PRAISE: | Praise Jesus, Who feeds us with His Word, His Sacred Body, and Precious Blood! Alleluia! |
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