When Jesus sent out His twelve apostles, He "gave them power and authority to overcome all demons and to cure diseases" (Lk 9:1). Moreover, He did not allow them to take walking staff, traveling bag, bread, money, and extra clothes (Lk 9:3). Jesus made it clear that power and simplicity were essential to His mission.
Worldly power is often complex. For example, armies, weapons, politics, and the media all are powerful and very complicated. In contrast, power in Christ is often simple. Power in Christ is often based on having less rather than more. Accordingly, the most powerful act in the history of the human race is Jesus' death and Resurrection. Jesus did this by emptying Himself (Phil 2:7). Jesus lived in poverty (see Lk 9:58) and died having nothing. In weakness God's power reaches perfection (2 Cor 12:9). "Because of this, God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name above every other name" (Phil 2:9).
Will you let the Lord make you poor and simple enough to be powerful? Will you believe in the simplicity of His power?
| PRAYER: | Prayer: Father, give me the courage to radically simplify my life. |
| PROMISE: | Promise: "Thus He has given us new life to raise again the house of our God and restore its ruins, and has granted us a fence in Judah and Jerusalem." –Ezr 9:9 |
| PRAISE: | Praise: Like St. Patrick, St. Vincent was kidnapped and enslaved, but was miraculously freed by the mercy of God. |
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