2nd Week of Easter
Go and take your place in the temple area, and tell the people everything about this life. (Acts 5:20)
Was there ever a time when you felt trapped inside a “prison” of illness, emotional distress, or weak faith? Waking up every morning, it felt as if there were a dark cloud over your head or a ball and chain dragging you down. Now, remember the day that you woke up feeling better or the moment that your situation was resolved. What a sense of release! You couldn’t wait to move forward with your life, relieved of those restraints!
If you had the choice, would you willingly go back into that prison? This was precisely what the apostles did in today’s first reading. An angel of God released them from their prison cell then told them to go right back to the Temple area and tell people about their life in Christ—the very thing that got them into prison in the first place. And they did! They couldn’t keep quiet about the Lord, so they trusted that God would take care of them.
Today’s Responsorial Psalm tells us why the apostles were so committed to proclaiming the gospel in the face of arrest and imprisonment. “I will bless the Lord at all times,” the psalmist says, “his praise shall be ever in my mouth.” But why? So that “the lowly will hear me and be glad” (Psalm 34:2, 3). The apostles’ witness and their courage inspired everyone in the Church in Jerusalem to stay faithful to the Lord. It also was instrumental in bringing more people to conversion. They blessed the Lord so that his blessings could overflow to other people!
The same is true for us. Our testimony of how God has worked in our lives can hearten our brothers and sisters who may be struggling. Likewise, their stories can help us. It’s always good, when feeling hemmed in, to be reminded that our horizons are a lot bigger than we think! What’s more, the witness of our joy and peace in every situation, no matter how easy and challenging, can motivate the people around us to turn to the Lord and experience him themselves.
So keep on blessing the Lord! Who knows how many people you will help lead to freedom?
“Thank you, Jesus, for having rescued me! Help me to keep your praise always on my lips and in my heart.”
Psalm 34:2-9; John 3:16-21
Daily Marriage Tip for April 15, 2015:
(Reader’s Tip) It’s important to remember your priorities in your marriage. Never sweat the small things that may get on your nerves about your spouse.