FROM THE SERVANT GENERAL
OUR THEME FOR 2021
(Part 14)
TWO QUESTIONS
January 25, 2021
Today’s readings:
Acts 22:3-16
Psalm 117:1-2
Mark 16:15-18
We are commanded by Jesus to be light to the world and instruments of salvation to the ends of the earth. How does this happen? This happens as we proclaim the good news of salvation in Jesus. As Jesus commissioned his disciples, “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved” (Mk 16:15-16a).
What needs to happen to us for us to be such light and instrument? We need to meet and know Christ. Then we undergo transformation in him; we live Christ. Then we will learn what we are to do for him, and so we go and do his work; we share Christ.
We look to the conversion of Paul. When he met Jesus on the way to Damascus, he asked two questions: “Who are you, sir?” (Acts 22:8a) and “What shall I do, sir?” (Acts 22:10a).
We need to meet Jesus and get to know him. We need to be able to answer the question, “Who are you?” We need to realize that he is the Messiah, the Savior, the Lord. We need to put our faith in him, realizing that “whoever does not believe will be condemned.” (Mk 16:16b). We need to see how in our life apart from him, we have been persecuting him, as he said to Paul, “I am Jesus the Nazorean whom you are persecuting.” (Acts 22:8b). In our life apart from him, as we do injustice to our neighbor, as we neglect our family responsibilities, as we engage in sins of the flesh, it is Jesus, the one who died for us and won for us our salvation, whom we have rejected and have been persecuting.
Such an encounter with the living Christ should lead to transformation, to metanoia, to a 180-degree turn, from being Saul to being Paul. As Ananias told Paul, “The God of our ancestors designated you to know his will, to see the Righteous One, and to hear the sound of his voice” (Acts 22:14). As we meet Christ we will start to live Christ. We will come to know his will. We will see him as who he truly is, our Savior and Lord. We will commune with him in prayer and hear him speak to our hearts.
Then as Jesus tells us how we are to live our lives, we will learn that we are to be used by him to reach others. That we are to shine the light that has come into our lives to the world. That we are to be instruments of proclaiming his salvation. We will know the answer to the question, “What shall I do?” Just like with Paul, “you will be told about everything appointed for you to do.” (Acts 22:10b). And this will include the commission to proclaim the gospel. And just as with Paul, “you will be his witness before all to what you have seen and heard.” (Acts 22:15). We are to share Christ. Before all. To the ends of the earth.
If we do so, then all the nations can be made disciples. And all will shout out, “Praise the Lord, all you nations! Extol him, all you peoples!” (Ps 117:1).
“Now, why delay?” (Acts 22:16a). Go.
