empowering the willing, weak,and wounded
"In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazorean, walk!" —Acts 3:6
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!
Reference: (Are you witnessing to the risen Lord? Is your vocation a path leading to heaven? Attend the retreat Living and Loving Your Vocation, Apr. 24-25 at PM's retreat center in Adams Co., Ohio. Call 937-587-5464 to register.)
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 3, 2008
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