A WORD FOR TODAY 20 MAY 2021

*A WORD FOR TODAY*

*COURAGEOUS WITNESSING IS PLEASING TO THE LORD

_"The following night the Lord stood by him and said, Take courage, for as you have testified about me at Jerusalem, so you must bear witness also at Rome.”(Acts 23:11)_

_*The act of witnessing for the Lord is something that requires some level of resilience and determination to keep going even when it gets tough and rough. One who is ready to proclaim Christ will also be ready to die for Him.*_

_The story of Paul in the first reading is one that encourages us to keep proclaiming Christ no matter the condition. Paul was incarcerated for the sake of Christ, but he was not deterred, instead, he courageously witnessed for Christ before the Pharisees and Sadducees, that they became confused and started quarreling among themselves._

_*When he was taken back to the prison, the Lord came and consoled him and encouraged him to remain steadfast and be courageous, because as he had witnessed for Him in Jerusalem, so must he also do in Rome.*_

_Courageous witnessing simply means to proclaim Christ without fear. It means to go the extra mile in telling people about Jesus without being ashamed, but with confidence and absolute commitment to His mandate to propagate the gospel. Courageous witnessing means to be ready to lay down your life for the sake of Christ and to suffer in His name._

_*The one who makes the choice to proclaim Christ, makes the choice also to suffer persecution and death for His sake, but the beauty of such choice is that God does not abandon those who put their trust in Him. He came to the aid of Paul and gave him the courage to fight the good fight of faith until the end, therefore, He will also be with you.*_

_Courageous witnessing always has a reward. Those who stay committed to the cause until the end wi be admitted into eternal glory where they will see the face of God and enjoy His beatific vision. Therefore, do not be tired of proclaiming Christ even unto death, because your reward must surely come._

_*Good morning dearest one. Smile😊as you do your work and do have a fantastic day. May the grace of God help you to always speak for Jesus everywhere you go. Amen. And may the Almighty God bless you: the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.*_

*Meditation:* Acts 22:30; 23:6-11/Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11/John 17:20-26

*Watch-Word:* Preserve me, O God, for in you I take refuge.

*God is with us and if we proclaim His name with fear or shame, He will defend us and reward us with the glory of His presence in the end.*

(Thursday of the seventh week of Easter. Cycle B)