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The readings for Today.

It can be the case that we so emphasize knowing about Jesus that we do not emphasize what is more important: knowing Jesus. Philip encounters a man who is so enthused as he comes to know Jesus that he seeks baptism at the first sight of water.

The readings for this post can be found by clicking here.

Persecution. Listen to this from a Crux Article in March of this year: “Anti-Christian persecution is one of the most dramatic human rights scourges of our time. Though statistics vary widely, the low-end estimate for the number of new Christian martyrs every year in the early 21st century is around 6,000 to 7,000, while the highest-end accounting puts it at 100,000. That works out to somewhere between one Christian killed for the faith every hour, to one every five minutes. Whatever the actual number, it’s a death toll of staggering proportions.”

We do not really think about being persecuted for our faith in the United States, and if we do, we usually think of it in terms of speech. But in much of the world, martyrdom is rampant. But if Christians are not being killed, they are still being mistreated. “Beyond fatalities, watchdog groups estimate that 200 million Christians around the world are at risk, facing daily threats of harassment, physical assault, arrest, imprisonment and torture.”

While I worry about the ways in which free speech here in the United States is increasingly facing censorship, I am not worried for my personal safety. So it is against this backdrop that I hear the words from today’s first reading, “There broke out a severe persecution of the Church in Jerusalem.” The persecution was severe enough that the Christian population scattered.

To what degree do you believe strongly enough in something you would risk your life for it? I think for many parents, the safety of their children would be one such thing. For spouses the safety of each other might fit in such a category. And obviously for many around the world their faith is something they would die for.

I would like to believe I have the strength to believe so much in Jesus that I would risk my life for him. I would like to believe that I would not abandon my faith, or that I would change what I believe to suit the times. But I say things like “I would like to believe” because I am not faced with such a situation.

What I do know is how important it is for me to develop my relationship with Jesus and seek to allow him to strengthen it. That is why I believe it is so important to spend that quiet prayer time with Jesus. No one knows what their future holds. No one can predict what struggles and difficulties lie ahead in life.

Place yourself in the presence of Jesus today. Ask him to help you to become more and more aware of his love for you. Ask him for assistance in the challenges you face. Ask him above all to help you to place yourself in his presence, so that above all, you can grow in relationship that is so powerful it lasts forever.

I am so hungry. There are a lot of hungry people in the world. The physical hunger, due to the lack of food, is the easiest to solve because it is not that we do not have enough food, but rather that we refuse to share it. The other types of hunger, spiritual, emotional or psychological are harder. But for people of faith, the important thing is that we have a relationship that can feed us.

The readings for today.

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The readings for this post can be found by clicking here.

Every night as my community prays night prayer, or compline, part of the prayer is singing this phrase: “Lord, into your hands I commend my spirit.” It is a phrase that in one form or another, in the gospels, is expressed by Jesus. As he dies on the cross, he gives his human life over to the Father. It is a prayer many saints are believed to have said upon their death. And it is the prayer Stephen prays today as he is killed for his faith in Jesus.

As I pray this each night, I try to really mean it. What that means to me, is trying not only to remember I am always in the holy presence of God, but rather to commit myself totally to God at that moment, and by extension always. It is this idea that I am always in God’s presence that inspires this idea of spending five minutes with Jesus.

I believe that if you place yourself more and more in God’s presence then you will see more clearly the presence of God in more and more aspects of your life. While we talk about something like “seeing with the eyes of faith, we do not as often talk about how that is supposed to be done.

When I get stressed, I try to remember to take a few deep breaths and say the name of Jesus. Often this reminds me that I am indeed in his presence, and he can not ever lead me astray. I try to remember that this is not just that he would not ever lead me astray, but that he cannot lead me astray, because everything he desires for me is loving and good.

That does not mean that bad things do not happen in life, or that God’s goodness does not cause anxiety in me. When God leads me away from sin that can produce some anxiety in me, even though it is for my own good. When God calls me to grow, challenges me to move deeper in my faith, at first that may make me feel uncomfortable.

It certainly must have been the case for Stephen. I cannot imagine he could foresee that by accepting Jesus his life would be in danger. Rather, I think as he moved more deeply into his relationship with Jesus this became the inevitable result. How else can we explain that his face during his trial was like that as an angel? How else can we explain that he could remember to pray in total self-gift to Jesus as he was dying?

But it was unlikely that Stephen could imagine himself dying like this at the start. He would probably have been terrified, or called you crazy if before he met Jesus, and believed in him, it was suggested to him that this is how his life would unfold. That is why we cannot focus on where Jesus might lead us, but rather to focus on his constant presence.

Stephen could do the things he did and say the things he said because as his relationship with Jesus grew, he became more deeply aware of Jesus’ constant presence in his life. The greater union he had with Jesus on earth meant he came to believe completely in the eternal union Jesus called him to have in heaven. And so today, do not worry so much about what might happen or what will be. Rather, focus on the fact that Jesus loves you, is always with you, and will help you to face whatever comes.

You can download the Dominican Compline App by following this link.

The readings for this post can be found by clicking here.

“Filled with grace and power.” These words are an interesting way to describe a man about to be executed. In an age where someone accused is immediately thought to be guilty, it does not appear to be possible to describe a death row inmate as being “filled with grace and power.” But that is the way Saint Luke describes Stephen in today’s account of the stoning of Stephen.

Saint Stephen is an interesting person. He was one of the deacons chosen to serve the needs of the Greek-speaking widows so that the apostles could preach the Word of God. And yet it is Stephen who makes the strong theological case for Jesus being greater than Moses, which for a modern-day Jew would be a difficult thing to accept. And after this passage we hear today, Stephen does not address the charge that he is placing Jesus above Moses (which in fact he was doing) but rather goes on to make the case that Jesus is the Son of God and that the Jewish community should embrace him as the Messiah.

Stephen is able to endure his martyrdom because he is filled with grace and power. You can be too. You too can receive grace and power in fullness. You too can open your heart so that God can use your gifts to their fullest.

So what is it you think God wants you to use your gifts for? What is it God is calling you to do? When you think of those things you have received from Jesus, where is it you will use these talents in such a way that people will see that you are filled with grace and power.

As you pray today, take a moment to ask God where it is he wants to use you. What is it that God wants you to recognize about the gifts he has given to you? How is it that God wants you to witness to what can be done when you are filled with grace and power, and you realize it? Ask Jesus today to help you to open your heart and soul to him. Ask Jesus to help you to be aware to the many ways he has filled you with gifts and graces. Take some time today to thank Jesus for all that he has done for you.

The readings for this post can be found by clicking here.

“You denied the Holy and Righteous One.” In speaking to the people, Peter does something that is rather interesting. He is talking about the sin of the people. But lest we think he his pointing his finger at them for having failed, the way he points out their sin is by pointing out his sin. “You denied the Holy and Righteous One.” See, the people denied Jesus by asking for Barabbas. Peter denied Jesus out of fear for his own life.

But the denial by the people, we are told, was because of ignorance. The denial by Peter was after three years of coming to believe in Jesus the Christ, and a few hours after his pledge that he would give his life for Jesus. But because of the powerful grace of God, the end result can be the same for the people and for Peter. Jesus forgives all who turn to him in love.

The loving power of Jesus is the message of Easter. Peter denies three times, then three times he affirms his love for Jesus, who then shares with him that this time, Peter will give his life for Jesus. Thomas does not believe solely on the testimony of the disciples, but only when he has the encounter with the Risen Christ. John, faithful even standing at the foot of the Cross, does not hold grudges.

I deny the Holy and Righteous One. I wish I did not, but indeed I do. I sin. I reject God. Despite my best intentions, I turn away from the gospel, I set bad example, I fail. But time and again, over and over, Jesus calls me with his grace. He welcomes me back when I repent, and he reminds me of his love for me, love I do nothing to earn and do not deserve. Jesus offers all of this to you, too. He so desperately wants a relationship with you. He wants to love you, to care for you, to offer you the eternal life and life-changing relationship that only he can give. The resurrection of Jesus we celebrate this Easter season is one where once again we are given a choice. But this time, let us choose Jesus and recognize all he does for us. Alleluia!

The readings for this post can be found by clicking here.

"Do not be afraid." “The phrase "Fear not! (or equivalent translations) appears only slightly over 100 times in the Old Testament, as well as slightly over 40 times in the New Testament.” (Some claim there are 365 such citations in the bible, but, while inspiring (one for each day of the year) it is not biblically accurate.)

The readings for this post can be found by clicking here.

Are you a narrow thinker of faith, or a broad thinker? Today’s first reading presents narrow thinking about God and broad thinking about God. We have seen for the past few days narrow thinking about the apostles. For the members of the Sanhedrin, the apostles can only be seen as troublemakers limiting their power. Maybe they even thought that by continuing to let them speak they risked the cozy relationship with the Romans.

The readings for today.

We do not always remember, but every time we are at Mass we witness the intersection of heaven and earth. In fact, we live in a world that is constantly infused with heavenly things if we look with the eyes of faith. Do you focus on heaven or earth?

The readings for this post can be found by clicking here.

Obedience. Little kids are told to obey their parents. Students are told to obey their teachers. In a dangerous situation we might be asked to obey certain directions for our safety. When the word is used, it can be used in connection to following the direction of someone who is more powerful than we are.