Go and Proclaim

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/041115.cfm) reminds me that God wants us to go and proclaim him through our lives.

In the gospel, we see Jesus telling his disciples to go and proclaim the gospel to every creature. In the first reading, we see Peter and John doing this, despite threat from church leaders at that time. In the same way God told his disciples to proclaim him, he too is telling this to us today.

God does not need us to be like his disciples and become full time missionaries. They say that actions speak louder than words, and the best way to proclaim Jesus and the gospel is by how we live our lives. We proclaim him where we are, whatever we do, by the way we live our lives.

They say that we have different mission fields in life. We need not go to other countries to proclaim Jesus. We proclaim him in our families, in our workplace, in our school, and in the different people we meet and encounter. We proclaim him not just by telling people about him and the gospel, but by how we live our lives. If we live honest – treating people right, respecting the rules and the leaders, being good to others in need, being joyful despite all the problems, then people will see Jesus. They will experience Jesus love, peace, hope and faithfulness, which is just as powerful, if not more powerful, than telling them of the life of Jesus and the love of God.

May we be willing to be living proof of God.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. Thank you for another weekend. Thank you for another reminder. Lord, help me live for you. Help me live right. Help me live in a way pleasing to you. As I try to do so, I ask that you move in me and through me, so that people would know and experience you through me. Amen.

Blessed weekend!

In Christ,

-g-

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April 11, 2015

Saturday in the Octave of Easter

Lectionary: 266

Reading 1 Acts 4:13-21

Observing the boldness of Peter and John

and perceiving them to be uneducated, ordinary men,

the leaders, elders, and scribes were amazed,

and they recognized them as the companions of Jesus.

Then when they saw the man who had been cured standing there with them,

they could say nothing in reply.

So they ordered them to leave the Sanhedrin,

and conferred with one another, saying,

“What are we to do with these men?

Everyone living in Jerusalem knows that a remarkable sign

was done through them, and we cannot deny it.

But so that it may not be spread any further among the people,

let us give them a stern warning

never again to speak to anyone in this name.”

So they called them back

and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus.

Peter and John, however, said to them in reply,

“Whether it is right in the sight of God

for us to obey you rather than God, you be the judges.

It is impossible for us not to speak about what we have seen and heard.”

After threatening them further,

they released them,

finding no way to punish them,

on account of the people who were all praising God

for what had happened.

Responsorial Psalm Ps 118:1 and 14-15ab, 16-18, 19-21

R. (21a) I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good,

for his mercy endures forever.

My strength and my courage is the LORD,

and he has been my savior.

The joyful shout of victory

in the tents of the just.

R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

“The right hand of the LORD is exalted;

the right hand of the LORD has struck with power.”

I shall not die, but live,

and declare the works of the LORD.

Though the LORD has indeed chastised me,

yet he has not delivered me to death.

R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Open to me the gates of justice;

I will enter them and give thanks to the LORD.

This is the gate of the LORD;

the just shall enter it.

I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me

and have been my savior.

R. I will give thanks to you, for you have answered me.

or:

R. Alleluia.

Alleluia Ps 118:24

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

This is the day the LORD has made;

let us be glad and rejoice in it.

R. Alleluia, alleluia.

Gospel Mk 16:9-15

When Jesus had risen, early on the first day of the week,

he appeared first to Mary Magdalene,

out of whom he had driven seven demons.

She went and told his companions who were mourning and weeping.

When they heard that he was alive

and had been seen by her, they did not believe.

After this he appeared in another form

to two of them walking along on their way to the country.

They returned and told the others;

but they did not believe them either.

But later, as the Eleven were at table, he appeared to them

and rebuked them for their unbelief and hardness of heart

because they had not believed those

who saw him after he had been raised.

He said to them, “Go into the whole world

and proclaim the Gospel to every creature.”