credibility and consistency
"With power the apostles bore witness to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus." —Acts 4:33
Alleluia! Jesus is risen! We are His witnesses (see Acts 1:8). We will have credibility and power in proclaiming Jesus' resurrection if:
- We devote ourselves "to the apostles' instruction and the communal life, to the breaking of bread and the prayers" (Acts 2:42).
- Our community is "of one heart and one mind" (Acts 4:32).
- There is no one needy among us, for those "who [own] property or houses" would sell them and donate the proceeds, and "lay them at the feet of the apostles to be distributed to everyone according to his need" (Acts 4:34-35).
- We "rejoice in the Lord always" (Phil 4:4).
Power in communication comes from credibility, and credibility is based on a certain kind of consistency. To have a life consistent with the message of the resurrection means to have a life of great holiness, amazing unity, zealous sacrifice, and exultant joy. We must simply practice what we preach. Yet when we preach the message of the resurrection, we have quite a challenge in practicing this most awesome revelation.
However, the Lord will never give us the message without the medium to proclaim the message. Because He tells us to say it, He gives the grace to live it, and His grace is always sufficient (2 Cor 12:9). The world has heard our message of the resurrection. Now it is looking at our lives before it decides to believe. Live a risen life to proclaim the risen Word.
Prayer: Father, make me worthy of being taken seriously.
Promise: "The wind blows where it will. You hear the sound it makes but you do not know where it comes from, or where it goes. So it is with everyone begotten of the Spirit." —Jn 3:8
Praise: St. Catherine's mother and father allowed the Lord to bless them with a large family. Their last and twenty-fifth child, Catherine, became a Doctor of the Church.
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Giles H. Pater, October 17, 2002
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 21, 2002