DATE: 3RD JUNE 2017 SATURDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER MEMORIAL OF SAINT CHARLES LWANGA AND COMPANIONS FIRST READING: Acts 28:16-20, 30-31 PSALM: Psalm 11:4,5,7 GOSPEL: John 21:20-25 THEME: PAUL IN ROME

Gazing at a little plant sprouting through a crack in a cement-concrete slab, my thoughts quickly went to the saying, "bloom wherever you are planted".

Sometimes, life can be very challenging and we may find ourselves in difficult terrains/circumstances but wherever one is planted, one can still live a meaningful and fruitful life and make a difference.

In our First Reading, we have an account of Paul's arrival in Rome: he had been brought there as a prisoner and lived there under house arrest. Even in that difficult situation, Paul found a way of engaging himself in some limited apostolic work. He would evangelise the crowd that gathered around his home and it was during this challenging moment in his life that he wrote what is popularly referred to as the 'Captivity Epistles', addressed to the Ephesians, the Philippians, the Colossians and to Philemon.

Though bound with chains, Paul preached the Gospel in order to unchain those in spiritual captivity. The last two verses of today's First Reading has it that ''he lived there two whole years at his own expense and welcomed all who came to him proclaiming the kingdom of God and teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ with all boldness and without hindrance'' (Act 28:30-31).

Indeed God had a purpose for Paul in Rome. In fact the Lord Jesus had told him previously, ''Courage! You have borne witness for me in Jerusalem, now you must do the same in Rome'' (Acts 23:11).
 
Like Paul, the Lord has a purpose for us wherever we find ourselves. Are you in Ghana? God put you there. Are you in Nigeria? God put you there. Are you in the US or UK? God put you there. Are you in Rome? God put you there. Even if you are under house arrest, like Paul, see yourself as having been planted there by the Lord to be a living witness of the Gospel. It is in availing ourselves completely to the Lord that the Holy Spirit would use us to bring about massive transformation in the very place and among the people where we find ourselves.

PRAYER: Dear Lord Jesus, may the power of your Spirit fill me with strength wherever I find myself. In season and out of season make me a living witness of the Gospel. Amen

Andrews Obeng, svd

DIVINE WORD MISSIONARIES

BIBLICAL PASTORAL MINISTRY
(Ghana Province)

?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).

DATE: 2ND JUNE 2017 FRIDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER FIRST READING: Acts 25:13-21 PSALM: Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12, 19-20 GOSPEL: John 21:15-19 THEME: LET YOUR FAITH COUNT

In recent times, some Christians have made the headlines on front pages of our daily newspapers and other platforms on social media. Unfortunately, quite a number of the headlines are not news of heroic witnessing but scandals which seek to discredit the very Gospel we are called upon to proclaim. It is important that occasionally, we each pause and ask ourselves: What kind of headlines am I making. Am I furthering the cause of Christ and the Gospel or I am bringing the Christian message into disrepute. The word Gospel means good news and any bearer of an important piece of news will himself /herself make news.

Paul, in today's First Reading, made the headlines on account of his good faith in Jesus. The headlines first caught the attention of Governor Festus and later King Agrippa. In the case of Paul, the headlines did not bring him favours but trials. However, he was content to have shared in the sufferings of Christ. Later on in life, Paul would reflect on this whole experience and tell Timothy, ''Anybody who tries to live in devotion to Christ is certain to be persecuted'' (2Tim 3:12).

As Christians we should not go seeking for trouble. However, we must seek to proclaim the Gospel even if that leads us into trouble. Jesus is asking each one of us the same question he put to Peter in today's Gospel: Do you love me? If we do, then we ought to make the right headlines for Christ.

One thing that Paul and all other faithful witnesses of the Gospel can testify is the veracity of the statement of Jesus: ''When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit" (Mk 13:11).

May the Holy Spirit, during this season of novena, make us news worthy and give us the right words to say in every situation we find ourselves in.

PRAYER: Holy Spirit of God, we turn to you this day amidst the challenges of our life?s journey. May we never give up in times of trials but trust you enough to make all things work for our good. In the name of Jesus, we pray with thanksgiving. Amen

DATE: 1ST JUNE 2017 THURSDAY OF THE 7TH WEEK OF EASTER MEMORIAL OF ST. JUSTIN, MARTYR FIRST READING: Acts 22:30, 23:6-11 PSALM: Psalm 16:1-2,5,7-11 GOSPEL: John 17:20-26 THEME: BE WISE

Wisdom is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. It is a divine ability at the will of the Holy Spirit that enables a person to receive and apply deep insights to issues. The gift of wisdom enables a person to say the right word at the right time in the right place.

Paul exercised wisdom in today's First Reading. As he stood in front of the entire Sanhedrin, the Supreme Court in the land of ancient Israel, he must have felt like a sheep standing before wolves. He knew very well that any wrong move would spell his doom. In the given situation, Paul chose to be wise. Knowing very well that some of the members of the Sanhedrin were Sadducees and others Pharisees, he said "Brothers, I am a Pharisee, a son of Pharisees. I am on trial concerning the hope of the resurrection of the dead." (Act 23:6).  This apparently harmless statement resulted in the Sadducees and Pharisees locking up their horns in a dispute of doctrine, and that was how Paul sneaked out of their hands.

The experience of Paul in today's First Reading brings to mind a piece of advice that Jesus, during his earthly ministry, gave to his disciples: "See, I am sending you out like sheep into the midst of wolves; so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves "(Mat 10:16).

Like Paul, there are moments in life when we have to contend with challenges on account of our faith in Jesus. Some of these challenges may come from members of our family, co-workers, friends and even our fellow Christians. In such situations, what we need is the gift of wisdom.

May we prayerfully desire the grace of wisdom during this season of novena to the Holy Spirit: "If any of you is lacking in wisdom, ask God, who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly, and it will be given you"(Jam 1:5).

PRAYER: Holy Spirit of God, fill me with the wisdom that comes from above and inspire me to make the right decisions today. In the name of Jesus I pray. Amen

DATE: 31ST MAY 2017 FEAST OF THE VISITATION OF THE BLESSED VIRGIN MARY FIRST READING: Zephaniah 3:14-18 or Romans 12:9-16 CANTICLE: Isaiah 12:2-6 GOSPEL: Luke 1:39-56 THEME: BLESSED AMONG WOMEN

Not long ago, the world celebrated "Mother's Day". It was a celebration of honouring mothers and maternal bonds and also to reflect on the influence of women in society. It was exhilarating reading some of the posts on motherhood on social media. In sum, there is a growing awareness that mothers are worth celebrating.

Mary too is a mother. She is the mother of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. A Christian who refuses to give honour to this woman gives no honour to her Son.

In our Gospel text for today, Elizabeth, a relative of Mary, filled with the Holy Spirit was moved to honour Mary with the words, "Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leaped for joy" (Luke 1:42-44).
If Elizabeth considered the visit of Mary as honourable, then it is a mark of gross disrespect for anyone who calls himself or herself a Christian to dishonour the mother of our Lord Jesus Christ either in words or actions.

Mary is one of us, in so far as she too is a created human being. However, the grace of God has placed her on a unique pedestal and made her a model for all generations. Her very life is a definition of faith and in her we have come to see what it means to submit oneself unreservedly to the Word of God.

As we celebrate a woman whose "YES" to God changed the course of history, we are also challenged to bring about a change in our marriages, families, homes, workplaces and society by saying "YES" to the Word of God.

PRAYER: Lord Jesus, in the fullness of time, you chose to be born into this world through a woman. In honouring your mother, I celebrate the power of your Word to cause change. Pour into my heart the grace that filled your mother and by my life, may I glorify and honour you. Amen.

DATE: 30TH MAY 2017 TUESDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTR FIRST READING: Acts 20:17-27 PSALM: Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21 GOSPEL: John 17:1-11 THEME: FINISH HARD!

There are many starters but few finishers. We just need to look around us and we would find many examples. There are beautiful plans that have seen the rising of the sun but not its setting. Uncompleted projects abound in the political, socio-economic and even religious spheres of our earthly life. Many start but not all are able to finish. 

Both Jesus and Paul were no mere starters; they were finishers. Jesus in our Gospel text, prayed to the Father saying, 'I have glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do' (Jn. 17:4). Paul, in his farewell speech to the Elders of the Church at Ephesus as narrated in our First Reading, states, 'I do not consider my life of any account as dear to myself, in order that I may finish my course, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify solemnly of the gospel of the grace of God' (Acts 20:24). They both went through excruciating sufferings and yet they did not allow the pains to make them abandon their God-given mission. They went all out to the very last end.

Like Jesus and Paul, our heavenly Father has entrusted to each one of us a particular task here on earth. In seeking to carry out this task, we often come face to face with challenges. Unfortunately, some of us easily give up and walk away. As followers of Christ, we ought not to easily succumb to the pressure to give up and be overwhelmed by the waves of challenges. We must finish hard.

To be a 'finisher', one needs the virtue of long-suffering, synonymous to patience. This virtue is a fruit of the Holy Spirit (cf. Gal 5:22-23). During this period of Pentecost Novena, let us turn to the Holy Spirit and ask Him to give us that grace of endurance to complete the task that He has entrusted to us.

PRAYER: Come Holy Spirit. Give me the strength I need to endure whatever comes my way on this journey of faith. May trials never discourage me for you are with me even in dark hours of my life. For the sake of Christ, I pray. Amen.

DATE: 29TH MAY 2017 MONDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER FIRST READING: Acts 19:1-8 PSALM: Psalm 67:2-7 GOSPEL: John 16:29-33 THEME: THE SEAL OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

A seal indicates ownership. It is also used to guarantee a document or letter and to protect against tampering. By way of analogy, the Holy Spirit is the authenticating seal of God in the life of a believer ( cf. Eph. 1:13). The active presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer is a confirmation that one belongs to Christ and has access to the "Holy of Holies".

In our First Reading, we have an account of Paul's encounter with a group of believers in one of the beautiful cities of the Roman empire , Ephesus (southwest Turkey). Paul asked them, ''Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed'' Their response was ''No, we have never even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.'' In sum, they were completely ignorant on the subject of the Holy Spirit. After brief catechetical instructions from Paul, they were baptised in the name of Jesus and when Paul laid his hands on them there was a clear outward manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives, characterised by speaking in tongues and prophesying.

Later on in life, Paul, reflecting on this and other similar experiences would write, ''Now there are varieties of gifts, but the same Spirit'' To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good  ''All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills'' (1Cor 12:4,7,11).

The mark of the Holy Spirit, which is the proof of one's identity in Christ, is tangible. In other words, it is not enough to say that, I have received the Holy Spirit? without any concrete sign that the Holy Spirit is at work in you. We may not have the same charisms but there is always a particular manifestation of the presence of the Holy Spirit in a true believer.

During this season of novena to the Holy Spirit, let us intensify our devotion to the Holy Spirit, yielding completely to him. Let us allow him to show forth his presence and power in our lives and confer on us our true identity in Christ.

PRAYER: Come Holy Spirit. Be the seal of divine identity upon my life. Brand me with your gifts and fruit. Confer on me the true character of a believer in Christ. Amen 

DATE: 28TH MAY 2017 SEVENTH SUNDAY OF EASTER FIRST READING: Acts 1:12-14 PSALM: Psalm 27:1, 4, 7-8 SECOND READING: 1Peter 4:13-16 GOSPEL: John 17:1-11 THEME: WAITING IN PRAYER

Time is precious and many would not want to waste it. Thus, in a world where everything is moving so fast, the word "wait" has become synonymous to waste of time. We sometimes carry this secular and biased understanding of "waiting" to our spiritual lives too. For some, to wait in prayer is a thorn in the flesh. We expect the Lord to act here and now, and if He appears to "delay" we tend to look for alternative human solutions.
 
Just before his ascension, Jesus told his disciples not to depart from Jerusalem but to WAIT for the promise of the Father , the outpouring of the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1:4-5). In obedience to this directive, the disciples, according to our First Reading, returned from Mount Olivet,  the place of the ascension,  to the Upper Room in Jerusalem to wait in prayer.

A striking similarity between the First Reading and the Gospel text is that Jesus is also presented as praying. If the priestly prayer of Jesus took place within the context of the Last Supper per the narrative arrangement in the Gospel of John, then we may infer that Jesus offered this prayer in the Upper Room. So we have both master and disciples praying in the Upper Room prior to two big events ? namely, the passion in the case of Jesus and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in the case of the disciples.

Big events must be preceded by 'big time' prayers. If you want something big from the Lord you must pray 'big'. Many of us do pray in life; however, a moment comes when we need to spend time profusely in prayer. Calculating the period between the ascension of Jesus and the day of Pentecost, we can estimate nine days. During these nine days, the disciples did not pray some of the time, they prayed unceasingly "These all with one mind were continually devoting themselves to prayer" (Acts 1:14). In other words, they persevered in prayer. Prayer prepares you and gives you a big heart to receive the big grace that God has for you.

We are in the season of the Pentecost Novena and in many places, prayers are ongoing in preparation for the celebration of Pentecost.  Encouraged by the life of prayer of the early Christian community, may we too keep on praying until the love of God is poured anew into our hearts by means of the Holy Spirit.

PRAYER: Come Holy Spirit. Fill us with the radiance of your presence as we wait upon you and renew our strength. For the sake of Christ, we pray. Amen.