When does God call parishioners to preach to the pastor? When do common folk have the power to convert men and women of eloquence who are authorities on Scripture? (see Acts 18:24) When the parishioners and common folk are alive in the Spirit, God will use them to convert pastors and professionals.
The common folk will not have to conduct board meetings or seminars; they'll just invite their pastors, teachers, or DREs home for supper. The common folk will just be themselves, speak from their hearts, and share their faith. The pastors and professionals will rise from that supper and leave that home transformed by the Holy Spirit – or at least moving in that direction.
The Lord chose "uneducated men of no standing" (Acts 4:13) to convert the religious leaders of His day. He chose Ananias to convert the well-schooled Saul (Acts 9:17). The Lord chooses "those whom the world considers absurd to shame the wise" (1 Cor 1:27). He chooses "the world's lowborn and despised, those who count for nothing, to reduce to nothing those who were something" (1 Cor 1:28).
You can be a Priscilla, Aquila, or Ananias to lead the Apollos and Sauls of the world to Christ. Allow the Spirit to work through you.
| PRAYER: | Father, as I begin the Holy Spirit novena, may I thirst (Jn 7:37) for all to be saved (1 Tm 2:4). Make me thirsty for the Spirit. |
| PROMISE: | "Ask and you shall receive, that your joy may be full." –Jn 16:24 |
| PRAISE: | After having dinner with a parishioner, Fr. Tom developed deeper devotion to the Blessed Mother. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College