Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them. Reading and meditation on the Word of God on Wednesday of the 4th week of Easter, April 28, 2021. Reading is delivered by Clara and meditation is delivered by Dosmarian, they are from Saint Peter’s School in Jakarta, Indonesia. Acts of the Apostles 12: 24 – 13: 5a; Rs psalm 67: 2-3.5.6.8; John 12: 44-50.
ALL NATIONS PRAISE THE LORD
Our meditation today has the theme: All Nations Praise the Lord. This statement is taken from the responsorial psalm of the liturgy today. Our reflection yesterday has revealed to us the fact that the identity of “Christian” certainly exists in all corners of the world and how we feel connected to one another as Catholics. One particular way to express all these feelings and connections is to say that all nations of the world praise God.
The Acts of the Apostles in the first reading says that the word of God continued to spread and the life of the early Church was growing significantly. Messages, words, information about God’s glory and work reach people’s ears and hearts faster than any high-speed vehicle or machine. Today, with the existence of media of information technology, this rapid spread of God’s word is tremendously more evident than what we can imagine. As an outcome, beside there have been far more people come to join, every human person who accepts the messages of Jesus Christ has particular call to be realized with Jesus Christ as the primary and true guide. This is one of the reasons for all nations to praise God.
The realization that the word of God reaches the heart and mind of every human person in the whole world depends very much on the messengers who bring the good news and preach it. The Early Church illustrated this fact, for example, by sending the apostles Barnabas and Paul on a mission that was larger and reaching out more areas than the boundaries that had been marked out. We surely are grateful for the initiative of this early Church, thanks for the works of the Holy Spirit who constantly is in moving to give more power in zeal for the mission and evangelization.
The messengers of the Good News are not just priests, religious men and women who have been giving a colorful missionary face of the Church throughout the history of Christianity around the world. At present, we obviously see there are a lot of lay people who also become missionaries in every place where they live and work. Their testimonies of life are truly strong and down to earth because they are in direct contact with the real life of families, society and nation. This is also one of the reasons for all nations to praise God.
Jesus himself says in today’s Gospel that the light really already exist in the world. He speaks plainly that He Himself is the light, therefore, the darkness disappears. How could His followers not even see and enjoy that light? They should first experience it, then they should become light themselves and in turn they should illuminate the world too. The most concrete form of the presence of this light should be in the Word of the Lord Jesus Christ which He had received directly from the Father in heaven. So, persevering in God’s Word and live by it diligently should be our way of enlightening this world. This is also one of the reasons we all should praise the Lord. Let’s pray. In the name of the Father … O Lord Jesus Christ, help us always to be the light to this world through Your words which we devote ourselves every day. May we always eager to praise You. Our Father who art in heaven … In the name of the Father …
