Day 334 – The Meaning of Fasting
Thoughts and Reflection Today we read that Saul and Barnabas are commissioned while serving the Church in Antioch. While they are fasting, the Holy Spirit gives them a message. Fasting can accompany our prayers. We don’t need to just fast from food, it can be anything. It helps to align our bodies with our spirits. […]
Day 333 – Peter is Rescued from Prison
Thoughts and Reflections Today we read the apostle James is killed by Herod and Peter is rescued. Why did this happen? We don’t know. We also read that Paul gives the Corinthians a remedy for a man who is publicly violating the laws of God. He is excommunicated. We must allow the Holy Spirit to […]
Day 332 – Barnabas and Paul on Mission
Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about Peter reporting that God wants to send his spirit to the Gentiles. Not everyone is open to this idea. Peter explains that his hope is that the Holy Spirit comes upon the Gentiles to help those of the “circumcision party” help understand his actions. A question that the […]
Day 331 – Peter Preaches to the Gentiles
Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about Peter’s vision where the Lord tells him to eat the food that was considered unclean under the kosher laws of the Old Testament. These laws have been superseded by the Lord’s expansion of his kingdom to the Gentiles. When Peter arrives in Caesarea, the Roman Centurion gathered his […]
Day 330 – Saul’s Conversion
Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about the conversion of Saul on his way to Damascus to arrest the Christians. Jesus appeared to him and asks why Saul is persecuting him. This is important since Jesus is identifiying himself with directly with the Church. Jesus also appears to Ananias and sends him to Saul to […]
Day 329 – The Ethiopian Eunuch
Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about the martyrdom of Stephen, persecution of Christians in Jerusalem and the scattering of Jesus’ desciples thoughout the region of Judea and Samaria to fulfill the words of Jesus to spread the gospel. The persecution of the church sparks the next wave of evangelization. Suffering and persecution do not […]
Day 328 – Stephen is Martyred
Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about Stephen who gives a speech before his martyrdom. He says that just as the Israelites turned away from God throughout their history, now they are turning away from Jesus. Paul in Romans says that the people of Israel have not been abandoned. We as Christians have Jewish roots […]
Day 327 – Origin of the Diaconate
Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about the Hellenists who were the Greek-speaking Jews and they read the scriptures in Greek. We are starting to see a cultural division between the Christians who were Hellenists and the Christians that read the scriptures in Hebrew. Even in the early Church, there are broken and fallen humans […]
Day 326 – Life in Spirit
Thoughts and Reflection Today we read about Ananias and Sapphira who sold things to give the proceeds to the apostles. They are just pretending to be generous and hypocritical. The apostles continue to heal people which is a sign that the Lord uses them in remarkable ways. We are called to allow Jesus to work […]
Day 325 – Boldness in Faith
Thoughts and Reflection Today we read how the Jewish leaders were annoyed with Peter and John since they cured the crippled man. Peter says there is salvation in no one else but Jesus. The followers of Christ are bold in their witness. John and Peter are told not to speak or teach in the name […]