grand opening
"The Church was at peace. It was being built up and was making steady progress in the fear of the Lord." —Acts 9:31
The Lord was about to call Peter to do one of the greatest works in history — to enter a Gentile's home and preach the Good News of Jesus. When Peter did this, the Gentile Cornelius and his family received the Holy Spirit and were baptized (Acts 10:44ff). This was one of the major events in God's plan of salvation.
The Lord knew that Peter could not even conceive of the Good News being taken to the Gentiles. So God prepared Peter for an unprecedented calling by giving him some amazing experiences. For example, Peter saw a man paralyzed for eight years instantly healed (Acts 9:34). Then "all the inhabitants of Lydda and Sharon...were converted to the Lord" (Acts 9:35). After seeing all these conversions, Peter was used by the Lord to raise a woman from the dead (Acts 9:40). Then many others "came to believe in the Lord" (Acts 9:42).
Is the Lord doing miracles in your life? Have you recently converted to Jesus or seen others converted? Has the Lord healed you? If so, the Lord may be preparing you to hear a new call and to serve Him in a new way. For a new Pentecost, we must have a new openness. Believe and receive as never before.
Prayer: Father, do whatever it takes to make me much more open to You.
Promise: "Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. We have come to believe; we are convinced that You are God's Holy One." —Jn 6:68-69
Praise: St. Peter Chanel's reward for healing the sick of the island of Futuna was to be clubbed to death as a martyr of Christ and to gain eternal life on high with Jesus.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our booklet, Praying for a New Pentecost, or on audio AV 92A-1, AV 92A-3, AV 92B-1 or our two video series starting with V-92A. We also offer a leaflet, The Pentecost Novena, or on audio AV103-1 or video V-103.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 31, 2011
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