Daily Reflections
Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
In the Acts of the Apostles the apostles display a remarkable ability to testify to Jesus with great courage and boldness. This is especially true in the case of the apostle Paul. But it is a mistake to think that this was due to a special charism given to him.
We have received the same Holy Spirit as Paul and we too can learn to witness and testify with the same boldness and clarity. Jesus promised that in situations where we might feel we would lack the wisdom or clarity the words would be given to us to speak about him. Furthermore, in these situations we would know the Spirit of God the Father speaking through us (Matt. 10:19-20).
Despite being kicked and punched in the mouth Paul knew exactly what to say and how to say it. We can find testifying to our faith difficult and challenging; we can be afraid of how people will react and what we will say. We need to learn to trust in the Lord and in the Spirit of the Father, who will speak through us and give us the grace and confidence to be convincing and authentic witnesses. Like Paul we can hear the Spirit say to us: ‘Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome’ (23:11).
We can sometimes feel a sense of embarrassment or awkwardness in talking to others about our faith. However, the Spirit is the One who helps us do so in an easy-going and natural way. The Spirit is also the One who creates the opportunity and opens up possibilities and situations for us to share our faith. People are a lot hungrier and a lot more eager to know about God than we often give them credit for. The Holy Spirit can change the way we think about this and can help us to learn to witness in a way which wins people over. Often it is about planting seeds: a word here, a proclamation of Jesus’ Lordship there, a sharing of Jesus’ teaching or an unpacking of one of his parables.
Lord, blessed are the feet of those who bring Good News. Help me never to be afraid to be a witness, a martyr, for the truth of the gospel, and lead me to those who are open to hearing about your saving grace.
Acts 22:30; 23:6-11 • Psalm 15(16):1-2, 5, 7-11
John 17:20-26
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