The resurrection of Jesus is such good news that "surely we cannot help speaking of what we have heard and seen" (Acts 4:20). We must tell a world in the shadow of death (see Ps 23:4, RSV-CE) that death has lost its sting (1 Cor 15:55), Jesus has risen, and He is Lord. This good news will give hope to many.
However, for some who have covenanted with death (Is 28:15), the good news will irritate them. They will then try to silence us by persecuting us. Hopefully most of you reading this are being persecuted more than ever because of your witness for the risen Christ. We should be a threat to the deadly worldly system. It will try to manipulate and intimidate us, but we will not let the world put us in the tomb and roll back the stone. We will obey God rather than men! (Acts 5:29) Even if the world puts us to death, it will not stop us but will only prove the truth of the resurrection, for we will rise from the dead by the power of the risen Christ. Alleluia! He is risen!
| PRAYER: | Father, may I proclaim Your Son's resurrection especially by my dying and rising. |
| PROMISE: | "We testify to this. So too does the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those that obey Him." –Acts 5:32 |
| PRAISE: | Robert received some harassment from co-workers for not suppressing his faith at work, but he perseveres in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit. |
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