A WORD FOR TODAY 19 MAY 2019

A WORD FOR TODAY

The first reading of today from the Acts of the Apostles chronicled the missionary journey of Paul and Barnabas and how they established leadership structures in the various churches they visited so that they will have stability. They also proclaimed the Good News as they went without fear and many came to believe in the Lord, especially pagans. They encouraged the people to persevere in their faith, because they are bound to suffer various hardships for the sake of Christ. When they returned, they gathered the 'Church' together and gave account of their journey.

As disciples of Jesus we have been sent to go out and proclaim the Good News, we are not the owners of the message we carry, but simply messengers. We must stay committed to our responsibility as disciples and also remain obedient to the Church and her leaders who are the custodians of the deposit of the faith. We must always bear in mind that we must give account of our stewardship to God someday, therefore let us keep doing our work well so as to have a good score card to present to the Master when we return to Him.

Every responsibility we carry out for God must be done in love, because God has shown us so much love and we must reciprocate this love by loving our neighbour as we love ourselves. We belong to God and if we do our work well in love, we shall be with Him at the end of time, He will wipe away all our tears and pain and will make all things new for us.

Jesus has given us a new commandment to love one another as He has loved us and came from heaven to earth to die for us. Love is the only true and authentic identity or mark by which we will be recognised as God's children. If we do not love as Christ has loved us then we do not belong to Him.

Opportunities to show true sacrificial love to our fellow brothers and sisters presents itself from time to time, but if we do not take them when they come, we may never have them again, therefore, there is need for us to make adjustments and let the love of God move us to love others not for what we will get from them in return, but for the sake of Christ who has loved us.

We can show love to the sick, hungry, depressed, weak, homeless, those living with disabilities and so on, not by pitying them, but by empathizing with them and see how our message of love for them could help them get better and come to trust in God more who has shown us love beyond measure in our Lord Jesus Christ.

Good morning dearest one. Smile😊as you begin your day and do have a blessed Sunday. May Jesus be with you and may He bless your heart with love so that you will love others as he has loved you. Amen. *And may the Almighty God bless you: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Meditation: Acts 14:21-27/Psalm 145:8-13/Revelation 21:1-5/John 13:31-33,34-35

Watch-Word: Love one another as I have loved you!

If you do not love others as Christ has loved us, then you do not belong to Him. Love is our identity as Jesus' disciples.