This Sunday our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles starts off with Saint Peter filled with the Holy Spirit—and this on our own Confirmation weekend where our Confirmands were themselves filled with the fullness of the Holy Spirit—speaking about a good deed that was done for a crippled man, that he was healed, and this healing was accomplished or made manifest by the power of the name of Jesus Christ. In no one else’s name, or by no one else’s power or authority—but only in and through the name of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit—the same Spirit that raised Jesus from the dead—was this crippled healed. This is an amazing thing to understand about our Catholic faith: that the holy name of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit, who has been given to the Church by Christ, also guides and enlightens not only the Church herself but every member of this One Body of Christ—to continue the mission and ministry of Jesus Christ in our modern world today.
This should speak loudly and clearly to each and every one of us who attends Mass and practices their faith—and should speak even more directly to those who choose not to live out their Catholic faith—that God calls each of us to be His cooperator in His ongoing evangelization of the world. Last week’s Gospel reminded us that God requires an active response from each of His disciples to His command and His call.
This active response may be realized in different ways. For some the active response will be through prayer. Perhaps the elderly or the handicapped or even the overwhelmed parent of four children and who works full time and cares for his or her family and who cannot be physically involved in a ministry but can include in their personal prayers the needs of others or of a
community; perhaps the individual who is ill or physically unable to attend a meeting or hand out food at a shelter can visit a neighbor or pray for the intentions of the sick or can call and chat with a lonely person in need; perhaps the one who has time and talent can become actively involved in a parish ministry or program, spreading the love and compassion of Christ to others in need and will indeed do so, stepping up to their rightful role; or perhaps the Christian life will be lived out by the teacher who goes beyond their role as educator and becomes involved in the life of a student in need; the police officer who brings an extra bit of compassion into law enforcement; or the medical caregiver—nurse, doctor or mental health worker—will infuse their healing ministry with the compassion of Christ when searching for the cure or caring for one’s needs. And the list goes on and on, but the sole source and summit of the power that we hold as Christians remains the same: the Name of Jesus Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit which must infuse and form all that we are and all that we do. That is what it means to be a disciple of Christ. Let us all ask in prayer that we may have the courage to respond appropriately to God’s call to be His holy disciples.