Acts 28:30-31: Remaining
Saturday, April 1, 2017
We want a story to have an end, and so it may perplex us to read the closing verses of this book which is an accounting of how the Holy Spirit came to dwell among us. I like the fact that there is no denouement which closes things in a precise manner, because this puts the conclusion of the narrative where it belongs . . . in our hands.
What do we bring to the Good News? How do we continue the story? How does the Spirit remain in us? How do we witness? How do we become Christ’s hands and feet and voice for the world?
We hold in our hands the power to heal one another by our willingness to listen actively and to act compassionately.
What was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we looked upon and touched with our hands concerns the Word of life – for the life was made visible; we have seen it and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was made visible to us. 1 John 1:1-2
This was part of last evening’s prayer in MAGNIFICAT and it speaks to the apostles’ desire to continue to tell the story they had lived with Jesus, the story they continued to live with the Resurrected Christ, the story we may all live today if we might only remain in our lodgings to proclaim the kingdom. I do not mean by this that we sit at home waiting for seekers to knock at our door; rather I do mean to say that we might remain in Christ as we live each moment of our lives . . . and thus we bring Christ to the world.
To remain with one another . . . this is what it means to remain in Christ. We are called to bring our diverse gifts and our diverse selves into union with one another. This has been so from the beginning, it is so now, and it will always be so; therefore, let us gather together and remain.
A Favorite from March 26, 2009.
Cameron, Peter John. “Meditation of the Day.” MAGNIFICAT. 25.3 (2009). Print.
The Noontimes 