The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8

The Acts of the Apostles

 Chapter 8

1. That day a severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered throughout the countryside of Judea and Samaria.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verse 1)  

During our times oh Jesus the Roman Catholic Church is still facing persecution both internally, and even externally. Muslim groups such as ISIS are wrecking havoc by killing many Christians for what they believe and for who they believe in that is You oh God. However the greatest persecution that the Roman Catholic Church is facing is being caused by us Roman Catholics.  We are not setting a good example of our belief in You and many are being compelled to join other religions such as Islam. Others have made the mistake of viewing the Church from a human material perspective and began considering all from a human perspective and negating the divine nature. Some of us had to renounce their homelands, and even their places of work due to the persecution that they experienced from fellow 'Christians' who made life a living hell for them.

2. Devout men buried Stephen and made loud lamentation over him. 3. But Saul was ravaging the church by entering house after house; dragging off both men and women, he committed them to prison.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 2 to 3)


During our times oh Jesus Your Church is also facing times of persecution. This terrorist group Isis is ravaging Roman Catholics and is killing many by torturing beheading and even raping Catholics because they believe in You. For more details please click on the following link:-


Isis attacks on Christians


4. Now those who were scattered went from place to place, proclaiming the word.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verse 4)


The new followers of the apostles or the new community of Christians were, so empowered by the power of the Holy Spirit by which they had been baptised, that not even the threat of being killed as in the case of Stephen was enough to stop them. Although they were scattered far from their homeland this did not discourage them at all. Moreover even during our times we also have the same assignment that of spreading the Word of God, even if this moments or periods of trials and tribulation. Spreading Your Word oh God is not restricted to preaching or writing blogs, but even by the way we live we are also setting a practical example of Your love that is written on every page of Scripture.


5. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, 7. for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. 8. So there was great joy in that city.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 5 to 8)


God was with Philip and this was reflected by the positive acts that were done by You oh God in the person of Philip. Today there still exist such burning flames who preach in groups and in Your name perform acts of healing. I pray that more of such people continue to perform such acts even though they be of a protestant church, for even though such people may not be Roman Catholics, they still believe in You oh Jesus, and nobody who has such a spirit can ever say anything against You and Your holy name. God bless such people whom I consider as my friends because all people who are friends of Jesus are my mother, brother, father, sister cousin and other members of God's big family, whatever their race, belief or colour.


9. Now a certain man named Simon had previously practiced magic in the city and amazed the people of Samaria, saying that he was someone great.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verse 9)


Throughout the course of history there were many people who projected themselves as being the high and mighty conquerors of the world. People such as Adolf Hitler and many others. However Oh God there was and there never will be anybody like You who since ancient times was backed by prophecy that was either fulfilled, about to be fulfilled or will be fulfilled in the future as in the book of revelations. Oh God even though some may try to disprove Your existence, nobody will ever succeed, not even the wise Charles Darwin who attempted to refute You as the Sole creator by creating the 'Theory of Evolution', which is completely non reliable when compared to scripture, archaeology and other sources such as history.


10. All of them, from the least to the greatest, listened to him eagerly, saying, "This man is the power of God that is called Great."

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verse 10)


As humans we may be greatly influenced by the power and mystery of magic. Some of us may end up having a go at magic and end up in deep trouble by misusing it by means of the use of negative means such as boards and cards. On witnessing the power of evil as in the case of Simon one may easily make the mistake of attributing spiritual connotations and think that the simple trick is an act which has it s origins from God.

In order to help us understand how magics and trickery can be used to fool us into thinking that a miracle has taken place please click on the following link:-


Tricks faked as a miracle


11. And they listened eagerly to him because for a long time he had amazed them with his magic.


(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verse 11)


In the case of sin or sinful acts the same thing happens. It is like we have fallen under the effect of a spell by which we are controlled. It is only when somebody intervenes and pops us out of the effect of the spell that we become aware of the consequences of our act. It is as if we have been living in a bubble that somebody bursts to bring us back home and aware of our selves again.


12. But when they believed Philip, who was proclaiming the good news about the kingdom of God and the name of Jesus Christ, they were baptized, both men and women.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verse 12)


Oh Jesus even though we are surrounded by many people who profess to have the good news or some other form of proposed way for salvation, or even a state of absolute atheism, we are to remain faithful to You and to Your Holy Word as found in the Bible and give witness to it, by means of what we say and practise in our every day life.


13. Even Simon himself believed. After being baptized, he stayed constantly with Philip and was amazed when he saw the signs and great miracles that took place.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verse 13)


Oh Jesus one can accept to follow You and Your ways, however only under the inspiration of signs and miracles as in the case of Simon, whose intentions may have been not totally sincere. I pray oh Jesus for many Roman Catholics and Christians who are baptised in the Church but in truth are not really and truly convinced of their belief in You, but are there simply because they were baptised by their parents and in order to be socially accepted. I also pray for myself, that I never become a hypocrite in my faith and attitude towards You. Help me please to live according to my faith, for this is a challenge that I cannot live by myself because I am still as weak as a new born baby!


14. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. 15. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit 16. (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus).

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 14 to 16)


I can only imagine the joy in heaven that You oh God feels when we really and truly change our sinful ways and give our lives to You. In the case of the Apostles they wanted the new converts to receive baptism in the Holy Spirit and not simply the baptism with water as in the case of John's baptism. With reference to the baptism of the Holy Spirit which I have personally experienced please click on the following link:-

Baptism of the Holy Spirit


I would also like to share a personal experience of a person who also received the baptism of the Holy Spirit:-

Experience of Baptism of the Holy Spirit


17. Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. 18. Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles' hands, he offered them money, 19. saying, "Give me also this power so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit."

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 17 to 19)


As in the case of many people, there are some who think that with money they can achieve unlimited power that is stronger than that of God, moreover the power of the Holy Spirit is not like that of a magic wand that grants the wishes of the user.


20. But Peter said to him, "May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain God's gift with money! 21. You have no part or share in this, for your heart is not right before God.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 20 to 21)


Many things can be purchased but not spiritual graces or means. These gifts are only given by God to those who are chosen by Him and no to anybody.  This is why priests are ordained because they have their hearts set on You and are dedicated to walk in Your ways.


22. Repent therefore of this wickedness of yours, and pray to the Lord that, if possible, the intent of your heart may be forgiven you. 23. For I see that you are in the gall of bitterness and the chains of wickedness."

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 22 to 23)


Verses 22 and 23 make us aware of not only the sinful act but also the intention. At times our intentions for doing an action are not possibly bad or evil, however the outcome may still end up to be negative. Therefore before performing an action we are to stop and think if our initial intentions are based on the will and ways of God or not.


24. Simon answered, "Pray for me to the Lord, that nothing of what you have said may happen to me."

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verse 24)


Oh God what men say can be reversed but Your Words will remain forever amen.


25. Now after Peter and John had testified and spoken the word of the Lord, they returned to Jerusalem, proclaiming the good news to many villages of the Samaritans.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verse 25)


Oh Jesus the role of the apostle is never ending. Even though Peter and John were on their way home, they still continued proclaiming the message of the good news. They did not take a week end break. As Christians we are to be always ready to proclaim Your Word in every circumstance where You call us to go, at work, home or elsewhere.


26. Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a wilderness road.) 27. So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28. and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 26 to 28)


Oh Holy Spirit of God You make now discrimination between the rich and powerful and the poor and lowly. You wish that all believe in You even those who are educated as in the case of the Ethiopian official to whom You sent Philip while in a spirit of prayer meditating on the book of Isaiah. Even though the official was not a baptised Christian he still came to worship You and in turn You did not deny him Your presence. Therefore oh God Your presence is for any body who accepts it regardless of the persons creed or country of origin.


29. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it" 30. So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31. He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 29 to 31)


Oh Jesus this is the role of the Roman Catholic Church and that of all Christians, that of praying on the Gospel, the entire Bible. In a spirit of prayer oh God You explain the message of each verse in the Bible so that I can grow spiritually and even on a holistic level as a human. I thank You Jesus for Your never ending supply of biblical verses that You give me each day when I meditate on different chapters of the Bible.


32. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. 33. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life was taken away from the earth."

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 32 to 33)


Oh Father of humility King of justice how much You love us. You chose to take the cross as the altar on which to redeem my sins. You paid the price in full by permitting us humans to humble You and sentence You to a lowly death which was fit for criminals and murderers and not for the Son of God. When confronted by such a reality you remained silent and for our love and redemption accepted every whip of the soldier, every spit and insult punch and kick and most of all the nails that ripped Your skin apart as they were driven into your body with no mercy or kindness. You accepted all because You love and care for us and our salvation. What great love!


34. The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?" 35. Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 34 to 35)


Oh Jesus I thank You oh Jesus for this new vocation that of spreading Your Word as found in the Bible with all the people of the World. I Thank You for the Internet, Facebook, Twitter and other forms of Social Media such as You Tube by which Your Word is proclaimed. I Thank You for linking me with such sources Amen. Although I am not a theologian or a graduate in theology I thank You oh Holy Spirit of God for the insights and reflection that You share with me, so that I can share with others. Amen.


36. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?" 38. He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40. But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.

(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 8 verses 36 to 40)


Oh God this is a very important question indeed. What is holding us back from being convinced Roman Catholics and or Christians? Maybe we are missing the miracles that Jesus did, the outward physical signs of healing, but what about the inner healing of our spirits. Many people during prayer meetings and healing services and even during adoration to the Holy Eucharist are experiencing inner healing. While going to purchase two cheese cakes from a local retail outlet I met a person whom You saved at the point of death and today is a faithful believer in the Eucharist and who even invited me to attend to a common healing service held in the Church.


I believe that the evil one is making us so proud that we are not accepting You as the one and only Father God of our lives. We proclaim that we are advancing in technology and science however in truth we are blocked because our spirit is in pain and thirsty to communicate with its creator.  For some reason we are caring for the material body by means of fitness programs and crash diets, however we are also putting the Holy Spirit of God who dwells in us on a diet. You wish to communicate with us on a personal level however we have blockages such as unbelief and the messages given to us by the media and other sources that are convincing us not to believe in You and place our trust in You. As a consequence some of us are feeling desperate and the only alternative that they consider as being the way out is death.


I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-


Oh God I pray both for myself and for all Roman Catholics and Christians, Muslims and for all the world. May You heal us from our hurts and prejudices and bring us to peace. Our world is being harassed by wars and other forms of conflicts. May we all be convinced in what we believe in. May we become one big family and let friendship and love be a priority over all other issues. May we place our issues aside and focus on the value of love for our selves for each other and for those who believe in You such as myself love for God. Amen

The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7

The Acts of the Apostles

 Chapter 7

1. Then the high priest asked him, "Are these things so?"

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 1)

The high priest was more than aware that  the accusations brought against Stephen were totally false. His appearance reflected holiness therefore although, the evidence it spoke for itself, the high priest wanted the answer from the direct source.

At times we experience similar situations in which we might blame others or even You my God for the negative situations that take place. You are in control of all that takes place, therefore we might try to justify ourselves by holding You responsible. However because You love us so much that, You try to probe us by means of others or by means of the same situation, so that we grow in our relationship with You and within ourselves and ultimately admit our guilt instead of blaming others.

2. And Stephen replied: "Brothers and fathers, listen to me. The God of glory appeared to our ancestor Abraham when he was in Mesopotamia, before he lived in Haran, 3. and said to him, ' Leave your country and your relatives and go to the land that I will show you."

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 2 to 3)


As in the case of Abraham at some point in our lives we may all experience of unbelief. A period of crisis and dryness were our spiritual resources may be depleted and we may feel as if we do not believe anymore. As in the case of Abraham the variables existing in his environment were of no help to him for those of his environment and even members of his family worshipped false idols in order for them to have a good crop and even periods of rain to nourish their crops. At some point in our lives You oh God intervenes in our lives and calls us to move away from the unhealthy situation.


I would like to share with you this moving and experience of this ex iranian muslim, who from a muslim converted to Christianity. God intervened at a critical moment in his life and manifested himself to him


The experience of an ex muslim


4. Then he left the country of the Chaldeans and settled in Haran. After his father died, God had him move from there to this country in which you are now living.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 4)


Oh Jesus I thank You for acting according to a perfect plan in my life one, of precision and detail. If it had not been for the sudden illness of my grandfather we may not have come to Malta from where You chose to talk to me. I thank You for all that I left behind me in order to follow You even though as a child I was not aware that Your plan for me was gradually unfolding.


5.  He did not give him any of it as a heritage, not even a foot's length, but promised to give it to him as his possession and to his descendants after him, even though he had no child.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 5)


Oh God when You promise us something You give it as a whole. You never go back on Your word, even if like Your people many times we go back on our word and do not keep our small part of the contract or end up violating all the terms and conditions. Unlike us humans You remain faithful to the end.


6. And God spoke in these terms, that his descendants would be resident aliens in a country belonging to others, who would enslave them and mistreat them during four hundred years.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 6)


During the course of our lives on our way to the promised land we experience periods of tribulations which at times asin the case of Your people may take an extensive period of time to pass during which we may become tired and weary. However during such moments it is healthy to keep in mind, that as much as God has permitted us to endure such moments he will also make provisions for our liberation from such moments. He is always in control and is aware how much our threshold can take. Moreover God is able to give us the extra needed stamina in order to cope with the demands of the situation, so never fear or despair if you are experiencing such moments, your salvation may be closer than you consider it to be. God is in the driving seat. He is in control.


7. 'But I will judge the nation that they serve,' said God, 'and after that they shall come out and worship me in this place.'

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 7)


If you have been cheated out of a promotion, inheritance, of any thing that is rightfully yours, do not become intent on seeking revenge. Stop and pray, for Jesus has already made plans to bring you out of this moment of Exodus in your life and even mine. If there is anyone who is in a position to pass judgement on others in a true just, loving and merciful way it is You my one and only father. Only You are worthy of such an authority. Therefore please do not be hasty to pass judgment on others, and even if the outcome is not in your favour and even mine accept is as being the will of God who for some reason wanted the outcome to be in this way. Currently I had a collision with another commuter who violated the stop sign and hit my car in its mid section. We both agreed on the fact that the other driver collided with me, however it is the decision of the warden who drafted the sketch to portray what appears to be the case of how it all took place. Even though oh Jesus I have doubt in humans, I trust my case into Your hands and may Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.


8. Then he gave him the covenant of circumcision. And so Abraham became the father of Isaac and circumcised him on the eight day; and Isaac became the father of Jacob, and Jacob of the twelve patriarchs.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 8)


Throughout the course of our live You did works of wonder and awe. On going back on our lives if we had to recollect we would all remember circumstances when You intervened and made what was considered to be impossible to be possible. You told Abraham to circumcise Isaac in his flesh. You tell us to circumcise our souls to You so that we may be always a gift to You. Every day of my life oh Jesus even though life is not always easy I keep in mind that I have dedicated my life to You and that my life is in Your hands. It is one big adventure that has its beginning in and ending in Your presence.


9. The Patriarchs jealous of Joseph, sold him into Egypt; but God was with him, and 10. rescued him from all his afflictions, and enabled him to win favor and to show wisdom when he stood before the Pharaoh, the king of Egypt, who appointed him ruler over Egypt and over all his household.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 9 to 10)


At times our enemies or those in whom we may not be in their good books even because we are Your followers may make plans to cheat us out of what You have planned for us, however You love us so much that You reverse the circumstances and bring us out of the circumstances by changing it in our favour. I have witnessed this many times oh God my father, when I applied for interviews with particular firms and for some reason You blocked the process. In the period following this event the company declared bankruptcy. You had saved me from such situation. Thanks my God and my father.


11. Now there came a famine throughout Egypt and Canaan, and great suffering, and our ancestors could find no food. 12. But when Jacob heard that there was grain in Egypt, he sent our ancestors there on their first visit.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 11 to 12)


As in the course of our lives we experience moments of crisis. We seem to be living in times when our resources are depleted. We think we are in control, however You are our soul provider. You are in control of ou situations.


13. On the second visit Joseph made himself known to his brothers, and Joseph's family became known to Pharaoh.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 13)


After moments or long periods of tribulations You make yourself known to us by means of the same situation and this greatly helps to strengthen our relationship together. Gradually we become part of Your inner circle partakers in both tribulations and even consolations. On the other hand when we experience this spiritual growth the forces of evil will also become aware and will be on alert in order to start persecuting us. Therefore when in this phase of our lives, our level of prayer even during consolations is to be on the increase due to the possibility of a surprise attack under the belt by the evil one.


14. Then Joseph sent and invited his father Jacob and all his relatives to come to him, seventy-five in all;

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 14)


Although Joseph had had a strained relationship with his brothers oh God You give us the much needed healing in order to reunite with those who had trespassed against us. This inner healing can only be given by God and not by any other means. The difference from healing as given by the world to that given by God, is that Your healing is complete and conclusive, however healing of the world is based on psychotherapy or counselling which after a enduring a similar situation as a consequences the previous hurts could re surface and become active again in our conscious.


15. so Jacob went down to Egypt. He himself died there as well as our ancestors, 16. and their bodies were brought back to Shechem and laid in the tomb that Abraham had bought for a sum of silver from the sons of Hamor in Shechem.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 15 to 16)


Up to the last phase of his life Jacob was called to renounce his will and obey Your will oh God. Jacob was the seed from which a new nation of twelve tribes was to be born. The seed was to die in corruption however it was to bear many fruit of which we can trace our descent. Therefore if we do not match up with a particular aim in life, never fear for our Father surely has something better in store. However in order to receive from you oh God we have to let go of our own issues and agendas. Once we are empty of our sinful self, You oh God can perform miracles and bring outstanding changes in our lives.


17. "But as the time drew near for the fulfillment of the promise that God had made to Abraham, our people in Egypt increased and multiplied 18. until another king who had not known Joseph ruled over Egypt.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 17 to 18)


Oh God when Your plans begin to unfold in our lives we are open to many surprises that at times have something to do with the means that You chose to bring about the needed change. At times we may not understand these extraneous forces. A typical example is the rise of this Islamic group called ISIS that is killing many christians throughout the world. For some reason God has permitted this group to grow more powerful, however I strongly belief that the rise of this group is part of a bigger plan that only You oh God are aware of.



19. He dealt craftily with our race and forced our ancestors to abandon their infants so that they would die.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 19)


When You oh God desire something that is either for our good or for the good of others the forces of evil are enabled in order to destroy the good that has been planned to take place.


20. At this time Moses was born, and he was beautiful before God. For three months he was brought up in his father's house; 21 and when he was abandoned, Pharaoh's daughter adopted him and brought him up as her own son.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 20 to 21)


Oh God You love us so much that you never leave us forsaken or without good leaders. During this period of crisis in the world where Your values are being twisted and rejected or substituted for the ways of the world, You sent us people such as Pope Francesco whom by him you have brought a spiritual  boost in the life of the Church. During other critical moments You also sent sent Francis, St. Augustine of Hippo and many others who had been instrumental in the taking care of your flocks.


22. So Moses was instructed in all the wisdom of the Egyptians and was powerful in his words and deeds.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 22)


Whenever You desire oh God You can give birth or permit to be born significant others in Your kingdom and assign them particular roles such as caring for us and even being rebellious to our sins by being strong enough to raise issues that have been dormant even in the Roman Catholic Church and give them a new perspective for the good of us sinners and for the growth of the Church at large.  I thank You oh God for being so close to us and for being so in touch with our reality and human condition there is nobody like You. Amen.


23. "When he was forty years old, it came into his heart to visit his relatives, the Israelites.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 23)


Oh God as You have told me many times Your timing is far different than my timing. As in the case of Moses You prompt our hearts in order to enable us for some assignment that would be part of Your plan for our salvation and that of others. On reflecting we would not have an idea about where these ideas are really coming from but the real reason is that they are of spiritual origin and not of human origin.  Even though some of our ideas such as 'build me an ark for I am going to send rain to drown the world!" may appear to be rather wild, however in truth these ideas may be according to Your plan for our salvation.

24. When he saw one of them being wronged, he defended the oppressed man and avenged him by striking down the Egyptian.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 24)


As in the case of Moses we are not to be silent or blind to a situation where a brother or sister in Jesus Christ are being treated unfairly or even if the person happens to be our selves. It may not be civil and lawful to commit murder of the body to compensate for the injustice however if it needs be we are to give support and evidence if necessary in order to help the injured party in the best way we can.


25. He supposed that his kinsfolk would understand that God through him was rescuing them, but they did not understand.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 25)


At times we can easily be misunderstood and even misunderstand each other's motives when we do something that is according to the will of God in the eyes of those who do not believe in You my God. Some may call us religious fanatics or obsessed or even crazy if we obey the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church which at times as labelled as being outdated in its beliefs and values., however in spite of such accusations we are to remain firm in our belief and keep on believing in both Yourself and Your Church.

26. The next day he came to some of them as they were quarreling and tried to reconcile them, saying, 'Men, you are brothers; why do you wrong each other?' 27. But the man who was wronging his neighbor pushed Moses aside, saying, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge over us? 28. Do you want to kill me as you killed the Egyptian yesterday?"

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 26 to 28)


Even though Your servant Moses tried to bring peace and unity among the people he was refused by them. When we try to reconcile people by referring to Your Word some rebel in anger, because there are of us those who have rebelled against You and have become so proud that they want to acknowledge no form of discipline or authority.


29. When he heard this, Moses fled and became a resident alien in the land of Midian. There he became the father of two sons.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 29)


At times oh God we act on impulse or out of fear as in the case of Moses, however in truth this is still part of Your plan for us. During such moments You are working behind the scenes on our behalf. Thanks oh God for never stopping Your work even though we may not be aware and appreciate it.


30. "Now when forty years had passed, an angel appeared to him in the wilderness of Mount Sinai, in the flame of a burning bush.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 30)


This is what I call waiting in faith my God. At times you may appear to be silent. All communication with You may appear to have been broken because of our sinful condition, or maybe You permit us to experience periods of aridity or desert environment where we can stop and reflect about our relationship with You and others and maybe stumble on those areas that still require further maintenance or even new issues, may have cropped up.


31.When Moses saw it, he was amazed at the sight; and as he approached to look, there came the voice of the LORD: 32. 'I am the God of your ancestors, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.' Moses began to tremble and did not dare to look.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 31 to 32)


At times oh God we may think that we believe in You but in truth we may be believing to much in ourselves and not in You. There is always the risk of our trying to become God ourselves, therefore we are always to be on alert over ourselves in order not to overstep our role. In faith we are to acknowledge You as our one and only God and give our worship only to You.


33. Then the Lord said to him, "Take off the sandals from your feet, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 33)


It is Your Holy presence oh God my Father which makes a place holy. Therefore when we talk about you with friends or family or even passers by with whom You want us to meet according to Your plan and purpose, such moments become holy for your presence is there among us and we become three proclaiming Your Holy Name. Oh how blessed are such moments.


34. I have surely seen the mistreatment of my people who are in Egypt and have heard their groaning, and I have come down to rescue them. Come now, I will send you to Egypt.'

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 34)


Oh God You love me so much that even though at times we turn a deaf ear to you, You never turn Your back on me. You are always faithful and loving and always have a plan ready to save me from my situations.  Even though the situation may appear gloomy You always send people as in the case of Moses, Saint Frances, Pope Francesco among others to save us from our sinful selves and negative world events.


35. "It was this Moses whom they rejected when they said, 'Who made you a ruler and a judge?" and whom God now sent as both ruler and liberator through the angel who appeared to him in the bush.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 35)


At times we may take particular people for granted, such people whom in truth God has chosen to enlighten us with. Such people may be our wives husbands and even our friends. Therefore we are always to have our ears tuned on God for we never know by whom You oh God are trying to reach us by.


36. He led them out, having performed wonders and signs in Egypt, at the Red Sea, and in the wilderness for forty years.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 36)


Even though Your chosen people gave Moses a hard time due to their negative attitude to him which later on improved, Moses never gave up, but continued to obey Your will and lead the people according to the ways and rules that You passed on to him. Even though at times we may not pay attention to such people or leaders such as Moses, You will not stop using them to be of guidance to us in order for us to keep on walking in Your ways.


37. This is the Moses who said to the Israelites, 'God will raise up a prophet for you from your own people as he raised me up.' 38. He is the one who was in the congregation in the wilderness with the angel who spoke to him at Mount Sinai, and with our ancestors; he received living oracles to give to us.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 37 to 38)


Funnily enough people who have been discriminated in the world have been chosen by God and used by Him to perform outstanding events. St Frances during his time was considered as a simpleton, however God chose him to bring a revolution in the Roman Catholic Church. He was an important pawn in God's hands.


39. Our ancestors were unwilling to obey him, they pushed him aside, and in their hearts they turned back to Egypt, 40. saying to Aaron, 'Make gods for us who will lead the way for us; as for this Moses who led us out from the land of Egypt, we do not know what has happened to him.'

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 39 to 40)


Oh Jesus loving Father it is very easy for us to return to our old ways which is symbolized by Egypt which is our old life, that is before we decided to or before You stimulated our hearts to walk in Your ways. We might not turn away physically but in our hearts we might have the longing to follow our old ways and give them priority over our new self that is formed on Your ways. The evil does his best to persuade us in going against Your ways by making us become depressed and this leads to a lack of faith and hope in You and Your ways.


41.  At that time they made a calf, offered a sacrifice to the idol, and reveled in the works of their hands.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 41)


As humans oh Jesus we may have many of these idols. These may range in both quality and even quantity. Anything that is not according to Your will and that has the risk of taking your place is worthy of being eligible to become a god or even God in our lives. However we must be very careful for we have only one God who loves us and is jealous in the sense that He will never accept being given the second or last place in our lives, for he honestly loves us.


42. But God turned away from them and handed them over to worship the host of heaven, as it is written in the book of the prophets: 'Did you offer to me slain victims and sacrifices forty years in the wilderness O house of Israel? 43. No; you took along the tent of Moloch, and the star of your god Rephan, the images that you made to worship; so I will remove you beyond Babylon.'

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 42 to 43)


Oh God as Christians and Roman Catholics or faithful of any other denomination this is our greatest risk. If we continue to turn our backs on You one, fine day we will look for You without success and this will be a great tragedy. May it never be oh God, for I cannot spend one second without You in my life. Although as a sinner I am weak my spirit is thirsty for You.


44. Our ancestors in turn brought it in with Joshua when they dispossessed the nations that God drove out before our ancestors. And it was there until the time of David, 46. who found favor with God and asked that he might find a dwelling place for the house of Jacob. 47. But it was Solomon who built a house for him.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 44 to 47)


Throughout the course of time, oh God You continue to unfold Your plan for the world. Particular changes may have had been planned since the time of one minister, pope head of state, however when the proper time arrives as in the case of the Papacy of Pope Francesco the Synod actually took place along with the changes that will result from it.


48. Yet the Most High does not dwell in houses made with human hands, as the prophet says, 49. 'Heaven is my throne, and the earth is my footstool. What kind of house will you build for me, says the Lord or what is the place of my rest? 50. Did not my hand make all these things?"

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 48 to 50)


Although we believe that God's presence is found in the Church, we cannot limit His presence only to such places of worship. God is present everywhere and at any time in the world and in our lives. Whenever we unite in prayer or on meditation on You oh Jesus You are among us and Your presence is greatly felt. During such moments of meditation on Your word I feel Your presence with me. It is You who gives me these reflections both for myself and even to share with others, so that we can all experience growth in our spiritual life with You.


51. "You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you are forever opposing the Holy Spirit just as your ancestors used to do.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verse 51)


This is basically our problem today oh Jesus, we have become so stiff necked that it takes alot for us to believe, place our trust in You and walk in Your ways. Since the time of childhood society is training our children to be scientific and therefore when some end up abusing science and end up trying to even refute your presence. How I wish oh God that the flame of faith is rekindled again Amen.


52. Which of the prophets did your ancestors not persecute? They killed those who foretold the coming of the Righteous One, and now you have become his betrayers and murderers. 53. You are the ones that received the law as ordained by angels, and yet you have not kept it."

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 52 to 53)


 It is irrelevant if we agree or not oh Jesus we are also guilty of Your murder and betrayal. Every time we deal unfairly with others we are being unfair to You, every time we are murdering somebody with our tongues we are also doing it to You. We have been given the commandments and the golden rule love others as yourself, however we often violate this commandment.


54. When they heard these things they became enraged and ground their teeth at Stephen. 55 But filled with the Holy Spirit he gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God.  

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 54 to 55)


During such moments of persecution and even throughout our everyday life our eyes are to be fixed on heaven and not on the earth with all its temptations, for it is from You oh Jesus that we receive Your blessings and encouragement that enables us to live both as humans and as Christians. You are our fortress during moments of persecution our benefactor during times of needs and as always You are our loving father at all times.


56. "Look," he said, " I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God! 57. But they covered their ears, and with a loud shout all rushed together against him. 58. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him; and the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 56 to 58)


During moments of persecution oh Jesus You prepared the heavens to receive the soul of Your servant Stephen. As You did with him, You will surely do with us when it is our time to leave this earth if we remain faithful to our belief in You.


59. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus receive my spirit."60. Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, "Lord do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died. And Saul approved of their killing him.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 7 verses 59 to 60)


Oh Jesus Stephen sets for us an example to follow in our spiritual life. Not only did he give testimony of You by his words but he also imitated You by his actions. As You forgave Your accusers while being crucified, Stephen also forgave his accusers while being stoned to death. However even during such situations among those who were approving of Young Stephen's death, there was the future defender of the Roman Catholic Church, however at that time he was persecuting You by approving of the killing of many Christians.


Oh Jesus I would like to end this chapter with a prayer for many Christians who are currently being raped, beheaded and crucified because they believe in You. May we all give testimony of our faith in all of our environments Amen.

The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6

ACTS OF THE APOSTLES

 CHAPTER

 6

1. Now during those days, when the disciples were increasing in number, the Hellenists complained against the Hebrews because their widows were being neglected in the daily distribution of food.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verse 1)

Oh God even though there was unity among those chosen by the Holy Spirit to be members of Your body on earth that is the Roman Catholic Church, still there were those who were not being treated as equal as others. |This means that there was an unfair distribution of the available resources. Although oh Jesus we are living better times especially when compared to the times of the apostles, we are still witnessing an imbalance in the distribution and consumption of the resources of the world. Some of us are well of while others hardly meet their basic needs. 

In order to obtain a more in depth perception of this reality I invite you to click on the following link::-

Wealth Inequality in the World

2.  And the twelve called together the whole community of the disciples and said, "It is not right that we should neglect the word of God in order to wait on tables.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verse 2)


The twelve apostles faced their first major crisis or dilemma. It is through these situations oh God that we experience growth on many levels including the spiritual and even in our decision making processes. The dilemma was that of either celebrating the sacrament of the Eucharist on the tables or altars or spreading the message of the Good News which was their original assignment that You gave the twelve before joining Your father in heaven. At times it is necessary to evaluate our lives and assess  if we are still on track in our venture to heaven or if we have been side tracked by the ways of the world, which can easily happen to anybody. It is therefore to spend time in a retreat  in a group or on an individual level accompanied by a spiritual director who can enlighten us and evaluate the progress of our lives. Your Holy Spirit may even help us to explore other alternatives to improve our lives that we had never ever considered or thought of.


3. Therefore, friends, select from among yourselves seven men of good standing, full of the Spirit and of wisdom, whom we may appoint to this task,  4 while we, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word."

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verses 3 to 4)


Time and time again oh God You give us particular assignments to fulfil. Due t o the fact that due to the state of degeneration of our society which is becoming more worldly vocations appear to be on the decrease, the laity are called to participate in the body of Christ by playing important roles such as that of the deacons who are trusted with the responsibility of taking you to those of us who are not fit to come to Church and receive You and nourish their souls with Your body in the sacrament of the Eucharist. When we are helping others in one way or another we are also being deacons to others. Although the Roman Catholic Church has many services by which it gives service to others we can still be of help in our ways and in the areas of life where we are currently active such as family and other environments.


5. What they said pleased the whole community, and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus, a proselyte of Antioch.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verse 5)


Oh Jesus how nice it is to have social approval, that is to be considered by others as a person of faith and blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit. As in the conclaves the community agreed on the chosen person and the decision was taken.


6. They had these men stand before the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verse 6)


Verse six shows us the power of praying over in the presence of the Holy Spirit. The chosen men were blessed in the Holy Spirit which made them ready to fulfil the task that You oh God had given them. As baptised people we are also given the mission to be holy and to help others be holy in the sense of spreading the Word of God that leads us to a greater intimate relationship with You. that ultimately if it is Your will leads to the salvation of our souls.


7. The word of God continued to spread; greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests became obedient to the faith.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verse 7)


In time many people all over the world will embrace Christianity however many people will be influenced and not persuaded by means of the presence of Your Holy Spirit in us and the faith and works done by us and not only by means of sermons. The greatest sermons are acts of love and mercy especially to those whom we consider as enemies or not on equal terms such as people of different beliefs and values. You told us to pray for our enemies and not condemn them by sending a special squad to destroy ISIS. Our greatest weapons and means of proclaiming Your word are faith love, hope and charity and not missile launchers and other means of mass destruction.



8. Stephen, full of grace and power, did great wonders and signs among the people.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verse 8)



People who are possessed by Your holy Spirit are able to do many acts of healing, because in truth You are using them to perform such positive acts. Such people may be both Roman Catholics and even those of other churches. Faith in Your Name is able to bring healing whether the transmission is of a Roman Catholic preacher or a person of another church. On listening to many pastors who are of other churches such as Joel Osteen and Joyce Meyer You oh God have spoken to my spirit and made me aware of many issues that need to be taken care of in my life. God has no boundaries by which to transmit His messages to us, therefore let us never shut or discourage any preacher for, those who do not preach against You oh Jesus Son of God are in favour of You. Amen.


9. Then some of those who belonged to the synagogue of the Freedmen (as it was called), Cyrenians, Alexandrians, and others of those from Cilicia and Asia, stood up and argued with Stephen.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verse 9)


When the evil one hears us give testimony of You in our lives, the latter does all he can to silence us so that the positive message of the salvation purchased by Your blood will not continue to spread and flourish. Of such groups or individuals or even members of our family we are to be aware for anyone and and any situation can be used in order to test our faith in You oh Jesus.


In order to imagine such a situation please click on the following link:-


Daughter of satanist forced to persecute street preacher


10. But they could not withstand the wisdom and the Spirit with which he spoke.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verse 10)


When You are with us nobody can stand a chance against us, because Your truth sets us free and nobody is able to bend or manipulate that truth if not for a reason that You are in control of and that You plan to reap positive consequences out of the unseeingly negative situation.


11. Then they secretly instigated  some men to say, "We have heard him speak blasphemous words against Moses and God." 12. They stirred up the people as well as the elders and the scribes; then they suddenly confronted him, seized him, and brought him before the council. 13. They set up false witnesses who said, "This man never stops saying things against this holy place and the law; 14. for we have heard him say that this Jesus of Nazareth will destroy this place and will change the customs that Moses handed on to us."

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verses 11 to 14)


In order to build a solid accusation against Stephen, the forces of evil united and as in the case of Jesus convinced those in their circles to give false witness against Stephen  In contrary to lies the truth will always set us free. Even though we may be incriminated by the world and its crooked and sinful ways, You are the one who can truly implement justice with no bias or form of corruption.


15. And all who sat in the council looked intently at him, and they saw that his face was like the face of an angel.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 6 verse 15)


When Stephen or St Stephen was standing before the council he was already in the presence of God, who was giving him the testimony to share with those concerned. This presence oh Jesus was so strong that it radiated through his being, as in the case of Your the transfiguration on the mountain Your face and clothes also radiated and shone because You were immersed in the Holy presence of Your Father.


If we look at the faces of the following modern saints it becomes evident that these people have made an intimate experience of You in their lives. I invite you to click on the following link and look at the eyes and faces of the following.


Modern day saints



Oh beloved Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer. I place before You the souls of all the people who were beheaded or tortured to death because they proclaimed that they are Roman Catholics. I also pray for their families who may still be afflicted with the loss of their sons and daughters. May You console their souls. I also pray for all innocent people such as missionaries and others, who were exposed to any form of harassment especially those who ended up dying for whom they believed in as in the case of  St. Stephen. I also pray for all of us, that we may be found strong in the Spirit during such times of trials and tribulations. May our faith never come to an end or become subject to compromise in order to save our skin. We are to remember oh Jesus that as You told us, all who seek to save their lives will loose it, but all who give their lives in Your name for Your sake will be gifted with eternal life in Your heavenly home.

The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 5

The Acts of the Apostles

 Chapter 5

1. But a man named Ananias, with the consent of his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property; 2. with his wife's knowledge, he kept back some of the proceeds, and brought only a part and laid it at the apostles feet.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 1 to 2)

Although the Apostles shared all the proceeds together according to who really was in need of the resources pooled, the devil still managed to penetrate the heart of the first group of followers in spite of the works done by You by means of the apostles. This is the case in commercial establishment and sadly to say even in the Roman Catholic Church. Even though people are called by means of heir vocation as priests and nuns some decide to hold back their potential and end up corrupting themselves and others close to them as in the examples of reported child abuse accusations in Malta. Other people who were considered as being professionals and trusted in their field have also proved to be unfaithful to their profession. Nobody is excluded from falling into the traps set by the evil one 

Therefore we are always to be on our guard against our enemy who will stop at nothing to cause us to sin and turn our backs against You my God. I simply do not approve of the acts done but in truth we all have the potential of becoming evil people even the most seemingly good people. With reference to this issue I invite you to click on the following links. I strictly advise that the third link be viewed in the presence of an adult or to be pre-filtered due to the nature of the content.

Good people can turn to evil

The Stanford Prison experiment

Scenes from the Experiment (Adults only to see)

3. "Ananias," Peter asked, "why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back part of the proceeds of the land? 4. While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sols, were not the proceeds at your disposal? How is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You did not lie to us but to God!


(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 3 to 4)


Oh Jesus today You ask me the same question why does not My truth dwell in You, I have given you my presence and blessing time and time again. Every day I give you my message by means of My Word on which you meditate and share with others. Why do you still sin by not giving your best performance ant home where you are needed as much as at your workplace. Why do you keep of yourself and your skills. Forgive me oh Jesus for I am truly lax in this area. I truly am guilty of such a neglect and am to be repent and change my ways.



5. Now when Ananias heard these words, he fell down and died. And great fear seized all who heard of it. 6. The young men came and wrapped up his body, then carried him out and buried him. 7. After an interval of about three hours his wife came in not knowing what had happened. 8. Peter said to her, "Tell me whether you and your husband sold the land for such and such a price." And she said, "Yes, that was the price." 9. Then Peter said to her, "How is it that you have agreed together to put the Spirit of the Lord to the test? Look, the feet of those who have buried your husband are at the door and they will carry you out." 10. Immediately she fell down at his feet and died. When the young men came in they found her dead, so they carried her out and buried her beside her husband.


(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 5 to 10)


As mentioned in the Gospel according to Matthew if there is a thing that You hate is that of being tested by us humans. We not only put You to the test oh God but even ourselves and even each other. This may reflect our distrust in You others and even ourselves. When we do not trust You oh Jesus we end up in a spiritual death and experience a sense of confusion because we have entered the realm of darkness which we have chosen over that of the realm of light. The mentioned couple can be said to have partners in crime because they remained partners to the very end of their lives and even ended up buried next to each other.



11. And great fear seized the whole church and all who heard of these things.


(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verse 11)


Oh Jesus may we be all impressed  by Your never ending love and by all the wonders great and small that you permit to happen in our lives such as the birth of a child or a proclamation of faith from a person who declares not to believe in you or even has never heard of You. You never stop speaking in our lives and in the life of the world. May we always have our ears turned to listen to Your voice and interpret the events that take place as being under Your control. Amen.


12. Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apostles. And they were all together in Solomon's Portico. 13. None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem.


(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 12 to 13)


The apostles became a nucleus of power. People feared them but on the other hand they really wanted to join them in order to obtain their power and support. These are wrong reasons while people want to join the Roman Catholic Church or in fact even other churches.. There are those of us Jesus who wish to find power in numbers or seek more to gain from You than to give or contribute in services or in kind. Others seek to be married in the Church so as to have a nice video and photographs without caring the least to shoulder the responsibility of a Catholic and Christian marriage as stipulated according to Your Statutes as held by the Roman Catholic Church.  On reflecting oh Jesus this is the best time to stop and consider our own reasons for wanting to be part of Your body that is the Roman Catholic Church or even other churches. I hope that in a spirit of prayer we all find reasons for wanting to be a part of You my Father.


14. Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women, 15. so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter's shadow might fall on some of them as he came by. 16. A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured.


(Acts of t he Apostles chapter 5 verses 14 to 16)


A great investment results in a great reward.These new believers went to great efforts in order to see their relatives and maybe their friends be healed by means of t he power of the Holy Spirit that they believed could be transmitted to them by means of Peter's  shadow. This is one of many cases of extreme faith and its outstanding results. Among many mentioned in Your Good News is that of the woman who believed that if she touched the hem of Your cloak she would be healed.


On reflecting  it is a good time to stop and evaluate our type of faith especially when compared to the types of faith referred to. Moreover how nice it is to have others intercede on our behalf. As in the case of mentioned in verses 14 to 16. When we pray on behalf of others we are doing the same thing. This confirms the healing power of intercession.


17. Then the high priest took action: he and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), being filled with jealousy, 18. arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19. But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, 20. Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life." 


(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 17 to 20)


During moments of our lives we end up sad and depressed and we end up in a prison of sin. As in the case of the apostles the jealousy of others may contribute to our situation along with the consequences of our own sins. However in cases when we are treated unfairly You oh Jesus are able to bring justice over non justice and throw off their hinges the prison gates of our situation and free us from our bondage.


21. When they heard this, they entered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching. When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the council and the whole body of the elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought.


(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verse 21)


Although the apostles they experienced the first direct encounter against the forces of evil the apostles were not discouraged but empowered by Your Holy Spirit they were empowered to keep on spreading the message of Your Good News. Oh Jesus the same thing happened to me. After alot of attempts to share these posts on line using different methods You showed me that it is You who empowers people to find these post and that I need to let others grow in their relationship with You, and not force them to read or delete these posts by spamming their in box. I tank You oh Jesus for not discouraging me but motivated me to keep on sharing these posts.


22.  But when the temple police went there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported, 23. "We  found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 22 to 23)


When You intervene oh Jesus we end up in a state of utter confusion and awe because we are either mystified from a positive aspect or act in rebellion from a negative aspect in a strong sense of disapproval. on witnessing  Your miracles.


24. Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about them, wondering what might be going on.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verse 24)


When faced with Your wonders and interventions oh Jesus intelligent men and people held high by society become fools because nobody can ever understand Your wonders. They are indeed miracles. Although many have tried to explain Your miracles they are still and ever will be a mystery that the human mind cannot find words to explain. The greatest of which is the 'Mystery of the Holy Spirit, meaning the Father, Son and Holy Spirit who are all equal and  non separable.


25. Then someone arrived and announced, "Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!"

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verse 25)


This is the first case of a whistle-blower in the New Testament however without knowing this person was giving testimony to Your great and wonderful works. At times there are those who try to blacken the good names of others but instead spread goodness on such people.


26. Then the captain  went with the temple police and brought them, but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. 27. When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. 28. The high priest questioned them, 28. saying, "We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name," you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man's blood on us."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 26 to 28)


 Oh Jesus what the world plans for us to be a public humiliation or downfall You change into a testimony and proclamation of Your word. You are able to make good of all opportunities in order to have Your message proclaimed. Although as in the case of the apostles, evil will rise up and offer persecution, You have the casting vote which determines the outcome of the situation. So whenever we are facing such trials we are to pray Your Holy Spirit to help us proclaim the truth and nothing but the truth and we will leave the rest for You to accomplish.


Soon on September the 15th I will also be facing the tribunal. I have been given a ticket for having the wrong time showing on the screen of my car while parked in a timed parking zone for only a couple of minutes. The warden told me to contest this fine on the grounds that I had my mother with me who has a physical impairment and that she had forgotten to bring her disability card with her that could have justified in his opinion the fact that I had parked in that zone. I am aware that the forces of evil will also make a field day out of the situation but I also know that the victory is Yours oh God and that You are already in control of the situation and that if I merit the fine I will accept and pay it, but if not You will free me of all charges amen


29. But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than any human authority,

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verse 29)


Oh Jesus how true is this declaration. We are bombarded with many voices from the media and other social pressure groups that attempt to influence us with their ideology and worldly values. As in the case of the apostles we are also to always be aware of such messages and base our decisions on Your teachings oh God and not on that of the world. I was deeply shocked when the people of Malta voted in  favour of divorce which was a gateway to other laws that are in the pipeline. It was a strong indicator that the level of faith may be on the decrease, however this is only one indicator among many that are more positive. Therefore when it comes to making serious decisions it is best to refer to You and to the teachings that You have given us by means of the Holy Spirit and if necessary refer to people whom you have called to be our shepherds and advisers.


30. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 30 to 32)



Oh Jesus today we are also witnesses, some of us have had their heads beheaded in order to give witness of their belief in You. This is a time when many trends are being spread that go against our faith. This is the time when as Christians we are to stand up and give testimony that You are really present in our life and speak of the healing of our spirit and other miracles that You have done in our lives.


 33. When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. 34. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all  the people , stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. 35. Then he said to them, "Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. 36. For some time ago Theudas rose up claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. 37. After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him:  he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. 38. So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; 39. but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them-in that case you may even be found fighting against God!


(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 35 to 39)


Oh God indeed You speak by means of others. Anybody can be Your mouthpiece even a Pharisee as in the case of Gamaliel. Indeed the Roman Catholic Church has been put to the test many times from the point of its conception up to this very day. It has been attacked from different sides both externally as in the case of Ottoman attacks on Christians and Roman Catholics, and ISIS among others, however it is currently being attacked internally by means of priests who have been reported  and accused on charges of child abuse among other issues. However in the Roman Catholic Church there are also my and your sins which also may have a negative consequence on the Church. However although the Roman Catholic Church because it is indeed of God has survived the onslaughts of Nazism and even modern day harassment. This proves according to  the criteria of the wise Gamaliel that the Roman Catholic Church is in deed according to the will of God even though, it is sinful and has even done many mistakes however because, it is of God it is also blessed and holy.


Then they were convinced by him, 40. and when they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verse 40)


Due to the fact that the Pharisees were influenced by the wise counsel of Gamaliel the apostles were whipped and set free. At times when our accusers find no serious fault against us they just say, "okay you can go but don't do it again". This is what is called a reprimand. In order to comprehend the meaning of this word please view the following video clip.:-

How to reprimand employee


41. As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. 42. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.'


(Acts of the Apostles chapter 5 verses 41 to 42)


Instead of arguing complaining or becoming discouraged the apostles were more empowered by the fact that they were happy to have endured this persecution for Your name.


I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-

In every situation we can have the same attitude that of thanksgiving and rejoice. All that we endure in life oh Jesus we accept it as being according to Your will therefore we accept it in s spirit of thanksgiving

The Acts of the Apostles chapter 4

The Acts  of  the Apostles

 Chapter 4

1. While Peter and John were speaking to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees  came to them, 2. much annoyed because they were teaching the people and proclaiming that in Jesus there is the resurrection of the dead. 3. So they arrested them and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 1 to 3)



Oh Jesus how gracious are your works and how beautiful are those who proclaim Your Word. However the evil one cannot resist the temptation of persecuting those who live according to Your ways and help others to do the same. I invite you to click on the following link in order to view a typical situation as on Acts chapter 4 where a street preacher is apprehended by the police in order to stop him from preaching the word of God.



4. But many of those who heard the word believed; and they numbered about five thousand.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 4)


When such a thing happens, when our brothers and sisters are persecuted, when the Church appears to be crippled by persecution it highly depends on us believers to remain united in a spirit of belief and unity. During our weakest moments we are to be united and strong. This is the case of our times. Christians are being persecuted up to the point of death, cases of abuse by priests are on the increase, priests who resign are also on the increase, however we are not to be discouraged, because when we appear to be weak we are st our strongest moments and what is more You oh God will never desert us. Amen.



5.  The next day their rulers, elders, and scribes assembled in Jerusalem, 6. with Annas the high priest, Caiaphas, John,  and Alexander, and all who were of the high priestly family.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 5 to 6)


When the evil one hits back he does so in full force thus bringing together all the resources he can muster in order to test us. However even in such situation we are not alone and what is more God will not permit the evil one to subject us to a greater temptation than we can endure.



7. When they had made the prisoners stand in their midst, they inquired, "By what power or by what name did you do this?"

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 7)



When confronting us Satan does the same thing. He harasses us from all sides and attempts to shake the very foundations of our faith by prompting us to answer delicate questions in relation to our love for You my God, my trust and even my love for You.



8. Then Peter filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers of the people and elders,

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 8)



The Holy Spirit of God gives us a very important lesson in how to behave when we are falsely accused or placed under unnecessary pressure. We are to remain calm and show the opposition love care and respect.



9. If we are questioned today because of a good deed done to someone who was sick and are asked how this man has been healed, 10. let it be known to all of you, and to all the people of Israel that this man is standing before you in good health by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazzareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead. 11. This Jesus is' the stone that was rejected by you the builders; it has become the cornerstone.' 12. There is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among mortals by which we must be saved."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 9 to 12)


Oh Jesus if we were to be questioned on what criteria do we believe in You I would wonder what our responses will be. Would we find enough reasons in order for us to be found guilty of proclaiming Your name, giving testimony of Your presence in our lives, giving praise to You for those peak moments in our lives when we directly or indirectly experienced Your loving and divine presence. We might not have so many reasons, however the Holy Spirit is sure to remind us of these incredible moments and prompt us to give testimony at the right moment in time.



13. Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 13)



Oh Jesus You have the ability to use all of us as Your mouth piece in order to proclaim Your Good News. We do not need to have Degrees or Masters to proclaim You for You chose simple fishermen. In order to pass on a very important message to me, You used my colleagues at work to pass on a very important message. At the given time they were surely not aware that God was using them to pass on this message to me, however I was familiar with the issue and realised that You were talking to me by means of these people. I take the opportunity of thanking You for such moments and pray that with You help I  can surely change my ways and become a better person.



14. When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. 15. So they ordered them to leave the council while they discussed the matter with one another.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 14 to 15)


As those who work in criminology hold the evidence speaks for itself. The man who had been cured was standing in good health and there was no other source present that could explain how he had been healed. Moreover the man had been commonly known as being crippled therefore this eliminated the chances of mass deception.



As Roman Catholics You have done great wonders in our lives, however have we lived up to our part of the commitment. If I had to shine a beam of light in my life would I find enough evidence that proves Your presence in my life or would I start using terms such as coincidence or mystery or my abilities to justify the peak moments of my life.



16. They said, "What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them: we cannot deny it. 17 But to keep it from spreading further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 16 to 17)



Those who do not believe in You oh Jesus Son of God are faced with a real problem both personally and even if they unite in groups to obtain more power and prestige. Try as they might to find answers for all the dilemmas of their life without God, try as they might to reject the presence of God by denying You they will again and again be faced by the reality of the truth that there is more to affirm the truth of Your existence than that of denying it. Such people who have referred to inductive reasoning, philosophy or other sciences have either opened their doors to the devil or even become so troubled with the issue that they have lost their mind in the process because the truth is one and reality is one that You are the "Sole Creator" and we cannot absolutely live as "whole" human beings without You.



18. So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. 19. But Peter and John answered them, "Whether it is right in God's sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; 20. for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 18 to 20)



Peter and John raise a very important issue, whether it is proper to obey the ways of the world over the ways of God. I totally agree to follow Your will even if this brings me in conflict with the ways of the world. Oh Jesus You will always be my reference point and Your Bible will always be my manual.



21. After threatening them again, they let them go, finding no way to punish them because of the people, for all of them praised God for what had happened.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 21)


Oh Jesus human nature is so unpredictable! There is no way in totally predicting human behaviour. When You were present before Your people they chose Barabbas, and now in the presence of Your servants Peter and John they were in favour of them. Indeed the servant was treated better than the master and for this my heart feels pain and anguish. During feasts in Malta the statue of Your Mother is venerated, however minutes after her name is used in cursing and blasphemy.



Going back to verse 21, the ways of judgement of the world did not stand a chance against the power of the Holy Spirit. There was no denying the proof because it stood before them and moreover the leaders feared the crowd and the consequences of contradicting them. I believe that this is the experience of many leaders. In order not to go against the people, the notion of divorce was proposed in parliament and many other laws are also the consequences of not going against groups that are becoming very strong such as gays and homosexuals which may be future investment in order to gain their votes in the future elections!



22. For the man on whom this sign of healing had been performed was more than forty years old.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 22)



Praise be to the Lord my God for You have granted the gift of healing to my age bracket for I am 43 years old. I thank You for referring to this particular detail not that I had any doubt that You could ever exclude any age group from receiving Your loving, healing and tender love Amen. All who are in their four ties give praise and worship to God.



23. After  they were released,  they went to their friends and reported what the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24. When they had heard it, they raised their voices together to God and said, "Sovereign Lord, who made the heaven and the earth, the sea, and everything in them, 25. it is you who said by the Holy Spirit through our ancestor David, your servant: 'Why did the Gentiles rage,  and the peoples imagine vain things? 26. The kings of the earth took their stand, and the rulers have gathered together against the Lord and against his Messiah.'

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 23 to 26)



The gospel proclaimed during this times is as true as ever. During our times 2015 rules are being drafted, others emended to cater for the needs of others who in order to satisfy their personal agendas are planning to bring chaos to the social order as created by You oh God and father. Certain leaders are being influential in giving homosexuals the right for artificial insemination so that they can also give birth as in the case of couples living according to the model established by You since the beginning of time and creation. I pray oh God that You put an end to such laws and block them from all levels both social and even spiritual. May the evil spirit that is inserting these false and evil ideas be evicted out of Malta forever and ever. I pray that you anoint us with the blood of Your passion and give us a new baptism so that as a nation we will be empowered as Roman Catholics to face such negative trends. I pray that all the people in the world unite in a non violent spirit against such obscenities in a spirit of fasting and prayer until this negative and oppressive wave has been brought to an end. Amen.



27. For in this city, in fact, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the peoples of Israel,  gathered together against your holy servant Jesus, whom you anointed, 28. to do whatever your hand and your plan had predestined to take place.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 27 to 28)



On reflecting my Jesus even though the mentioned characters seemed to have put into action their evil schemes in the background You were in control of the whole scenario. Pontius Pilate, Herod and the gentiles were like actors on the stage. They all had their parts to play, however You had the most important scene of all that of the resurrection that brought the whole drama to an end. This is case even in the scenario of our problems. There are many actors involved however You oh Father have written the script and is able to change the scenarios into our favour for our own good if this is the case, if not something good will happen on our behalf to improve our situation. On the other hand You may choose not to change the situation but instead make radical changes in us by means of the same situation. So when a situation appears to be too challenging do not despair god is some how in control of the situation and good will come out of it.



29. And now, LORD, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30. while you stretch out your hand to heal, and signs and wonders are performed through the name of your holy servant Jesus."

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 29 to 30)


In the face of threats Peter and the apostles sought their comfort in praying to You oh Jesus and did not grumble in protest at being threat not to preach Your Word as before. Instead of being discouraged the apostles were more empowered  and kept on proclaiming your mighty wonders that they were performing in Your name. Although during our moments of weakness we appear to be weak and defenceless we are not to be  discouraged for You our God are on our side and will not let our good works come to an end.



31. When they had prayed in which they were gathered together was shaken; and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke the word of God with boldness.

(Acts of the apostles chapter 4 verse 31)


Oh Jesus when we pray in good faith our prayers are always answered. The shaking of the ground was Your response that You not only heard the prayer but You also sent the power of the Your Holy Spirit to empower the Apostles and give them the needed resources. When on the cross You also replied to Jesus and the ground was also shaken, the curtain of the temple was ripped apart, and the souls of the prophets rose again. This was also a manifestation of Your power and love.



32. Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 32)


In theory this was the first form of community life, in which the individual was valued as much as the community which had one common goal that is You my God. All believed in You and Your love and in a spirit of love care and generosity used their resources f that You provided them or the good of the community and no one was lacking or in need.



33. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 33)


Oh Jesus we are to be strong in the proclamation of Your Word. We are to be open to the power of Your Spirit and never say no to it. When we are urged to speak in Your name we are not to be shy or feel that this is not the time, but speak out boldly because it may be Your Spirit that is trying to use us as His mouthpiece.



34. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verse 34)



Oh Jesus among the apostles there was indeed present Your Holy Spirit for it is not easy or natural to give our resources in such abundance for the good of others. The sinful person in us urges us to have more and more in order to satisfy our wants and needs above those of others. On the other hand it is Your presence which gives us the power to go against our sinful selves in order to be generous with others and share our resources. Yesterday oh Jesus You placed before me two crucial tests where You required me to give of my self, time and other resources.



The first test took place when I was on the way to the local recycling plant in order to deliver things that we were no longer in need of. On the way I saw this middle aged woman who was walking in the middle of the bypass at her own risk of the oncoming traffic and trying to stop anyone to give her a  ride to her home. I observed that many drivers where doing their best to dodge her by swerving on her left and right side at the risk of injuring her or even cause a traffic accident. Oh God You gave me the good sense and compassion to pull over and ask this lady if there was anything that she needed.



She told me that she needed a ride to a nearby village. From her appearance I realised that she was a resident of a mental institution that I had done my work phase in during the time of my course and took her there two corners away as she requested. The smell she had reflected that she was not cared for. She asked me for money but as usual I have a habit of not taking money with me. She said that she only had a plastic bag with a packet of fig bonbon biscuits which she showed me. I offered her a pair of sun glasses which had been left in my car and nobody claimed its ownership and she accepted it with pleasure for it was a very sunny day. On having arriving at our destination she thanked me and clumsily crossed the road at the risk of being hit by a matter of seconds by another driver who was heading in her direction. I was concerned about her but this was the limit of my parameters and I thanked God for having helped me to venture on such a trip and even prayed for the well-being of the lady.



The second test came in the evening when I was on line sharing my post on Matthew Chapter 14. One of my hangouts shared with me that he needed 750 Euros to send to the doctor to pay for the therapy of his daughter who was injured in a traffic accident and was in a critical condition in hospital. For some reason I doubted this person. On the one hand I hardly knew him as I shared with him, on the other hand I told him that in such cases the army could give him leave of absence and he could go home to his daughter, and ultimately if the army would not meet his plea the well being of his daughter was of a higher priority than his job. I even discussed the issue with my wife which was a miracle because the state of our relationship could be better at the current time. She told me that this person is trying to swindle us 750 Euro and that I was to end contact with this person which in the end I did for he kept accusing me of the death of his daughter if I did not help him and that I was not a Christian. I told him that I am Christian who is in a state of works in progress and I deleted him from my hangouts.



Oh Jesus I am not sure If I passed this test, however I had a gut feeling that there was something negative at work in this situation and in a spirit of prayer I made the mentioned decision. I pray that You illuminate me if my decision was according to Your will or not. Amen.



35. They laid it at the apostles' feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means "son of encouragement"). 37. He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles feet.

(Acts of the Apostles chapter 4 verses 35 to 37)


As in the case of the Apostles this way of life proved to be so successful that in the course of time it was adopted by Holy Orders such as the Order of St.Augustine of Hippo among others as being their way of life. In practise this can also be applied in the family environment where all available resources are distributed among all who come in need according to priority. Moreover all the members of the family or group can make use of the resources and contribute to them but none of the members can claim possession over the available resources.


Oh Jesus I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer::


Oh Lord my God my Father during these times of change and persecution especially in the Church and in other parts of the world there is either a lack of resources or maybe an imbalance of the available resources. I pray that You keep on blessing us with Your providence so that t he great gap between the haves and the have not will someday be balanced. I pray for those of us suffering poverty, hunger and any other forms of injustice. You are able to strike the much needed balance, that is why I am referring to You my father. In Your name I offer this prayer of intercession on behalf all who are in need both spiritually and even materially so that Your blessing mercy and providence will never be on the decrease Amen.