Jesus' physical body has been raised from the dead. How many members of His body, the Church, need to be raised from the dead? How many parts of Christ's body are functioning to the degree to which God has called them? Is God's body, the Church, spiritually quadriplegic or comatose, with many parts of His body paralyzed? We need a resurrection, animation, and activation of many parts of Christ's body.
Peter and John had been spiritually paralyzed and deadened by their fear and sins. After Pentecost, however, the power and "self-assurance of Peter and John" was amazing (Acts 4:13ff). Even when the religious leaders threatened Peter and John in order to return them to their paralysis, "Peter and John answered, 'Judge for yourselves whether it is right in God's sight for us to obey you rather than God. Surely we cannot help speaking of what we have heard and seen" (Acts 4:19-20).
Pope Leo the Great taught: "Christian, recognize your dignity and, now that you share in God's own nature, do not return to your former base condition by sinning. Remember Who is your Head and of Whose body you are a member" (Catechism, 1691). Christians, come to life. Act vigorously and fully as members of Christ's body. "Awake, O sleeper, arise from the dead, and Christ will give you light" (Eph 5:14).
| PRAYER: | Father, make me fully alive in and for Christ. |
| PROMISE: | "Finally, as they were at table, Jesus was revealed to the Eleven. He took them to task for their disbelief and their stubbornness, since they had put no faith in those who had seen Him after He had been raised." –Mk 16:14 |
| PRAISE: | Alleluia! He is risen! "Death has no more power over Him" (Rm 6:9). Alleluia! |
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