FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
THE WAY FORWARD IN CHRIST
(Part 200)
WITNESSES OF JESUS – 8
April 12, 2021
Today’s readings:
Acts 4:23-31
Psalm 2:1-9
John 3:1-8
We witness to Jesus, and people get to meet and know him. Then, by the grace of God, they respond positively. They repent of sin and turn to Jesus in faith. They then need to be “born of water and Spirit.” (Jn 3:5b). This happens through the sacrament of Baptism. But since many baptized Catholics have not been living their lives in Christ, they are reintroduced to Jesus and they are led to make a re-commitment to him. They are prayed with for a renewed infilling of the Holy Spirit. This is the adult experience of Baptism in the Spirit.
This is crucial. As Jesus himself says, “Amen, amen, I say to you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit.” (Jn 3:5). The water of Baptism washes away our original sin. The Spirit enables us to live according to God’s ways. Today too many Catholics are of the world, looking to their own personal pleasures and making use of their own strength. This is of the flesh. But the authentic Christian is born of the Spirit. As Jesus says, “What is born of flesh is flesh and what is born of spirit is spirit.” (Jn 3:6). In fact, the flesh and the Spirit are opposed to each other. Thus it is necessary that “you must be born from above.” (Jn 3:7).
All this is about living Christ. It happens as witnesses share Christ, and people meet and get to know Christ.
As this is the work of God, then it is opposed by the enemy. The evil one wants to keep people in the flesh, of the world, and under his dominion. In this he uses earthly forces. “Kings on earth rise up and princes plot together against the Lord and against his anointed one” (Ps 2:2). These earthly forces also include some within the Church. Today, most secular governments are supportive of the culture of DEATH. And more and more, Christians are being suppressed and oppressed. Laws are being passed to stifle religious freedom.
What should authentic Christians do? Well, the apostles were being suppressed by the religious authorities, and the state would mount persecution against them. What was the response of the budding community of believers? They prayed. “They raised their voices to God with one accord” (Acts 4:24a). And what did they pray for? For protection? For the overthrow of their enemies? For justice? For relief? They prayed for boldness in witnessing! “And now, Lord, take note of their threats, and enable your servants to speak your word with all boldness” (Acts 4:29). In other words, we know you will take care of us and of our enemies, but what we are concerned about is proclaiming the gospel.
Their prayer was intense. “As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook” (Acts 4:31a). They remained focused on the work they were commissioned to do, with full faith and trust in Jesus. They looked to God to work in power, “as you stretch forth your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are done through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” (Acts 4:30). God indeed would work in power, first and foremost through His witnesses, and thus “they were all filled with the holy Spirit and continued to speak the word of God with boldness.” (Acts 4:31b).
Today, called to witness to Jesus, we must be well connected to the source of all grace, of power, of boldness, of a spirit of endurance. And we must obey Jesus and be true to our calling. “I will proclaim the decree of the Lord” (Ps 2:7a). And we continue to ask for our Lord’s help, provision and anointing. We are assured by God, as we look to proclaiming the good news of salvation to the ends of the earth: “Ask it of me, and I will give you the nations as your inheritance, and, as your possession, the ends of the earth.” (Ps 2:8). We witness to Jesus and help establish his dominion over all the earth.
