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Homily of the Day
February 29, 2016

“Jesus added, ‘No prophet is honored in his own country.'” (Lk 4: 24)

When I was new in the renewal programs and community, I was on fire to evangelize. I wanted to preach the Good News in my workplace. I didn’t know how to go about it.

I knew that my officemates were turned off by the ‘Praise-the-Lord’ charismatics in the office and so I couldn’t go that route for fear of being rejected as Jesus was in Luke 4:24, and so I just kept quiet until eventually my fervor to preach died down. I just went on quietly trying to be a good follower of Jesus and the teachings of the community, having a regular prayer time and growing in the Lord.

After some time, I gathered enough courage to initiate a Christian Life Program (a Life in the Spirit Seminar) at the office and was surprised to see many of my officemates become participants. At the end of the 12-session program, one office-mate shared that he joined the program because of me. I was surprised because I felt like I never did anything to evangelize at the office. I guess that it was my being open to the Holy Spirit and my personal relationship with Jesus that did the preaching and evangelizing for me.

Did you ever have the occasion to witness to the Lord without actually speaking?


39 posted on 02/29/2016 5:27:27 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation
One Bread, One Body

One Bread, One Body

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All Issues > Volume 32, Issue 2

<< Monday, February 29, 2016 >>
 
2 Kings 5:1-15
View Readings
Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4 Luke 4:24-30
Similar Reflections
 

THE VOICE OF REASON

 
"But his servants came up and reasoned with him." —2 Kings 5:13
 

Naaman was blessed with humble servants who pleaded with him and reasoned with him. Where was the voice of reason who would calm the angry crowd in the Nazareth synagogue? It may have only taken one voice of reason to still the Nazareth crowd and prevent Jesus' very own townspeople from carrying out their murderous intentions.

The disciples and Peter corrected the powerful Sanhedrin. "When the Sanhedrin heard this, they were stung to fury and wanted to kill them" (Acts 5:33). Nevertheless, Gamaliel, the one voice of reason, stood up, spoke out, and was heeded (Acts 5:34ff). Did anyone do this at Nazareth? Scripture does not indicate this. Once a crowd in Ephesus wanted to kill the apostle Paul after he preached to them. But the town clerk of Ephesus spoke rationally to them, and dissuaded them from their murderous intent (Acts 19:35).

An angry crowd planned to kill the innocent Susanna because of the false testimony of two elders (Dn 13:28ff). One solitary voice of reason belonging to the youthful Daniel calmed the crowd and freed Susanna from death (Dn 13:45ff).

In each of the above cases, the voice of reason belonged to a member of the crowd itself. There are many hard-hearted people and crowds who need to be checked by a voice of reason. Of course, many are like Pharoah, so hardened of heart that even a humble voice of reason will not persuade them. Whatever the consequences, "stand up and tell them all that" God commands (Jer 1:17).

 
Prayer: Father, give me "that Spirit of faith of which the Scripture says: 'Because I believed, I spoke out' " (2 Cor 4:13).
Promise: "His flesh became again like the flesh of a little child, and he was clean." —2 Kgs 5:14
Praise: Praying constantly for wisdom, Officer Ruth talked a disturbed person out of a suicide attempt.

40 posted on 02/29/2016 6:53:18 PM PST by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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