Monday of the Second Week of Easter
We continue to hear the story of the Apostles in Acts. They were stuck in a hard situation that they didn’t deserve.
When I was growing up, I loved to watch the Red Green Show, a comedy show produced out of Canada. One segment showed a few characters playing hockey on a street. (You can tell it’s a Canadian show!) While they were playing, the youngest member of the group accidentally sent the hockey puck down into the sewer. His friends made him go down into the sewer to get it, being the great friends that they were. When Walter went into the sewer to get it, he made the mistake of closing the lid behind him. His friends then leave for a while. Unbeknownst to Walter, the local sewage collector arrives in his sewage truck and parks on the manhole. Then he proceeds to pump raw sewage down into the sewer while Walter was still inside. Walter is inadvertently trapped in the most unenviable of situations.
We all get drawn into situations we aren’t prepared for that cause us anxiety. We can learn from the disciples. They prayed for boldness from the Holy Spirit, and they received it. The Earth shook! How amazing their witness would become! Their courage was restored and they went forward. We all need to have our courage renewed. We all need to “be born again” constantly throughout our lives. The Gospel of John looks back to the time Nicodemus and Jesus met at night. Jesus told him that he must be born again “of water and of the spirit.” Those who are baptized in the Church are born of water and the spirit. Baptism is only the beginning. We are called to constantly have our faith and hope renewed.
Reflection Question: When you are caught in a hard situation do you usually turn to prayer for strength? It would be a good habit to start praying for strength daily.
Reflection by Br. Matthew Marie, OSB
Posted in Article for Easter, Daily Reflections