REFLECTION FOR 12TH JULY,2013. 14th Week in Ordinary Time “Do not worry.” (Matthew 10:19) Before he ascended to heaven, Jesus told us to “make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). That’s quite a tall order! How in the world could we ever do that? What should we say? And to whom? And how should we say it? What if they reject it? In answer to all these questions, Jesus simply says, “Do not worry” (10:19). Don’t worry. You’re not alone. The Holy Spirit is with you. He will provide all you need to share your faith—all the wisdom and boldness to know what to do, when to speak, what to say, to whom to say it. He will help you to love people, and give you the words and actions that will help draw them to himself. He is always watching over you. He will never forsake you, but always help you and deliver you (Psalm 37:28, 39-40). So how do we learn not to worry when it comes to sharing our faith? By taking up the practice of praising and worshipping the Lord. It sounds illogical, but it works. If we can dedicate part of every prayer time to praising God for his greatness, his mercy, his faithfulness, and his love, we will find it easier to let go of anxiety over whether God will help us. If we can learn to delight in his goodness and thank him for every act of kindness, we will know that he wants to do the same for the people we are witnessing to. If we can rejoice in all the times of trouble that he’s seen us through, we will grow in our confidence in him when we face the challenge of evangelization. Not only does this prayer of praise help us trust in the Lord more, it also opens our eyes to the needs of those who don’t yet know him. Seeing how good God has been to us will move us with compassion for those who haven’t experienced his goodness. And that compassion will propel us into the world with the message of the gospel—a message of hope and healing for everyone. Believe it or not, you can become an instrument of God’s peace! “Holy Spirit, watch over me today. Remind me of all the reasons I have to trust God. Nudge me when you want me to speak. Open my heart, Lord, and widen my horizons.”
Posted on: Fri, 12 Jul 2013 05:17:44 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015