A reading from the Acts of the Apostles 5:17-26
REFLECTION: "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people all about this new life."
(Acts 5:20)
Parents protect, nourish, instruct and defend their children. Those are the basics of a family unit.
However, God did make man and woman different. Each one of us has an alternate approach to what is acceptable and not. Some mothers can be too smothering, never allowing their children to fail and therefore, the child becomes an adult that has not developed bruises and scars to remind them of lessons learned. Some fathers may go the opposite direction: taking them on white water rafting trips, or allowing them to shoot a gun, or drive in the country. Dads allow more independence, more freedom and more risks. Moms worry about the drowning, the wounds and the mishaps.
Peter and John were in prison and the angel came to set them free. "Go, stand in the temple courts," he said, "and tell the people all about this new life." (Acts 5:20)
When the Holy Spirit is battling for us, He will watch over us, lovingly talk to us and will set us to do the Father's work without any interference from the enemy. Our Father will battle for us or equip us so that failure is not possible. And so the next day, Peter and John were out to the temple and preached and taught. The Sanhedrin was beside themselves. "What is happening? Weren't they wimpy when Jesus was here and now see how emboldened they are? Were they not feeling sorry for themselves? What happened?"
Hurray to our prayer warriors who go out and pray in front of Planned Parenthood. Hurray to our members who go out and speak with priests regarding PAPA and who bring in new members to pray for priests. God can use us wherever we are planted. Once our social restrictions are lifted, let us pray for the same energy and vigor we had before the Covid-19 pandemic .
We might be thinking more about our safety now than before. May we not forget the brave priests who leave their families, give up material wealth, go to far out places to do missionary work, and risk their lives to bring Jesus to the sick and dying. When this pandemic is over, may we not forget why we thought PAPA was our vocation. May we pray for the priests to have humility as a virtue as we pray the Prayer for Priests. And may we avail ourselves to the teachings, reflections, prayers, devotions and saintly quotes in our PAPA website.
God Bless You
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