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.