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One Bread, One Body - Reflection for January 25, 2013

CHOSEN ONES

"This man is the instrument I have chosen." –Acts 9:15

St. Paul was chosen to:

• "bring [God's] name to the Gentiles and their kings and to the people of Israel" (Acts 9:15),
• "suffer for [Jesus'] name" (Acts 9:16),
• recover his "sight and be filled with Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17),
• be baptized into Jesus (Acts 9:18; Rm 6:3),
• "proclaim in the synagogues that Jesus was the Son of God" (Acts 9:20),
• silence his opponents "with his proofs that this Jesus was the Messiah" (Acts 9:22),
• know God's "will, to look upon the Just One, and to hear the sound of His voice" (Acts 22:14),
• be God's servant and witness (Acts 26:16), and
• "open the eyes of those to whom" God sent Paul,"to turn them from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God" (Acts 26:18).

You too are chosen by God. You are chosen in many of the same ways that Paul was. You also have been chosen in certain unique ways. The Lord says to you: "It was not you who chose Me, it was I Who chose you to go forth and bear fruit" (Jn 15:16). You are "a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people He claims for His own" (1 Pt 2:9). "Because you are God's chosen ones, holy and beloved, clothe yourselves with heartfelt mercy, with kindness, humility, meekness, and patience" (Col 3:12).

You are a chosen child of God. You are blessed. Your life is very important. You are always loved. You are chosen.

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Acknowledgement

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