GOD’S WORD FOR THE DAY (based on Catholic Liturgical Readings)
DATE: 23RD MAY 2017
TUESDAY OF THE SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER
FIRST READING: Acts 16:22-34
PSALM: Psalm 138: 1-3, 7-8
GOSPEL: John 16:5-11
THEME: THE POWER OF PRAYER
Prayer changes situations. It is the most powerful weapon in the face of any adversity. There is a saying that “Satan trembles when he sees God’s weakest child on his/her knees.” In moments when we are most vulnerable, the effect of our prayers is immeasurable.
The attitude of Paul and Silas in today’s First Reading is worth emulating. As they went about proclaiming the Gospel with power in the district of Macedonia, they ran into trouble. They were arrested, flogged and thrown into prison. Rather than complaining and losing faith in God on account of what had befallen them, they chose to pray and praise God. As they exercised their faith through prayer, the unpleasant situation changed and their pain became a gain. Now they had a powerful testimony that brought about the conversion of the jailer and his household.
Are you going through some trials and challenges at this point in time in your life? Do you feel like you have been thrown into prison? Are you thinking of giving up because of your present predicament? You have at your disposal a powerful weapon to transform the situation you are faced with. It is the weapon of prayer; it works. It shakes things up, breaks chains and sets prisoners free.
In good times, pray and praise God. In bad times, pray and praise God even more. As you do this, the promised Advocate, i.e. the Holy Spirit would descend upon you with power and your tears of pain would turn into tears of joy.
PRAYER: Come Holy Spirit. I need your power in my present situation. Shake the prison bars to its foundations and set me free. Renew your grace in me and tell a story with my life. For the sake of Christ, I pray. Amen
Andrews Obeng, svd
DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES
BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
“May the darkness of sin and the night of unbelief vanish before the light of the Word and the Spirit of grace. And may the heart of Jesus live in the hearts of all people” (St Arnold Janssen)