The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16

Acts of the Apostles 

Chapter 

16

1. Paul went on also to Derbe and to Lystra, where there was a disciple named Timothy, the son of a Jewish woman who was a believer; but his father was a Greek. 2. He was well spoken of by the believers in Lystra and Iconium. 3. Paul wanted Timothy to accompany him; and he took him and had him circumcised because of the Jews who were in those places, for they all knew that his father was a Greek.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 1 to 3)

Oh God my Father, You work in strange but effective ways. Had it not been for the confrontation that took place among the Apostles Paul may had not met Timothy whom he chose to accompany him. Nothing in this world oh God my Father happens without a purpose and is beyond Your control. I thank You for bringing the good out of even what seems to be a negative situation Amen.



4. As they went from town to town, they delivered to them for observance the decisions that had been reached by the apostles and elders who were in Jerusalem. 5. So the churches were strengthened in the faith and increased in numbers daily.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 4 to 5)



Oh God, my Father even though the apostle Paul may have not totally agreed with all the issues mentioned during the meeting he still obeyed to deliver the instructions that he had been given and not his own. Oh God may we be followers even though we may not always agree or see eye to eye in relation to decisions that are taken, may we obey instead of rebelling amen.


6. They went through the region of Phrygia and Galatia, having been forbidden by the Holy Spirit to speak the word in Asia. 7. When they had come opposite Mysia, they attempted to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not allow them; 8. so, passing by Mysia, they went down to Troas.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 6 to 8)



Oh Holy Spirit of God, I pray that You also be that active in my life, as much as You were with the apostles, in the sense of appearing and speaking to them and acting as a guide in their ways. However on reflecting, You speak to me in many ways especially during such moments of prayer and even throughout the day. The latest idea that I feel You are telling me is to add a bit of humour to this blog by adding a joke. I responded to this God-given idea and sent a request to whoever sends me an email or notification, however, I wait on You my, God to confirm if this is really Your will or not Amen.


9. During the night Paul had a vision; there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." 10. When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 9 to 10)



Oh God, how great is Your wisdom. You speak to me in many ways, that at times I do not understand the true meaning of Your message, however in time, You always reveal the truth behind the message Amen.



11. We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12. and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 11 to 12)


Oh God my Father at times we go for the shortcuts in order to save time. On a technological level meaning when using a computer it is acceptable, however when it comes to spiritual matters it is totally different. There are some who reason that if I did something wrong I go in front of an image of the cross or pray directly to You to seek confession instead of seeking absolution from a priest who is ordained to forgive sins according to the rights given by You to the Roman Catholic Church in regarding to the forgiving of sins. You told Peter that all that he forgives will be forgiven and all that he retains (in Your name and not in his!) will not be forgiven. In other spheres, of life, we are also seeking shortcuts, instead of seeking solutions we refer directly to lawyers to void a marriage, or an annulment tribunal in different cases, instead of seeking the appropriate help.




13. On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where  we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14. A certain woman named Lydia, a worshipper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15. When she and her household were baptized, she urged us saying, "If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home." And she prevailed upon us.



(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 13 to 15)



Oh God my Father any place we go may become a place of prayer, for You are not limited or confined solely to a particular place. Anywhere you send us You may have the intention of making us meet a person whom You can use us to proclaim the message of the "Good News" of the message of salvation that is found in the bible which is Your 'Word'



16. One day, as we were going to the place of prayer, we met a slave-girl who had a spirit of divination and brought her owners a great deal of money by fortune telling.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verse 16)



Oh God my Father how cursed are such means of making money. Many people have come in contact with such negative people and in order to get what they desired, anything that You could have given them, if they had good I intentions, they end up losing both their faith and opening a door for the evil one to move in. May You protect us with the power of Your Holy Spirit against such evil Amen.


17. While she followed Paul and us, she would cry out, "These men are slaves of the Most High God, who proclaim to you a way of salvation."


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verse 17)


Oh God my Father even the evil spirits speak of Your Name and address You as being the highest God. I pray that as believers in You, we also proclaim You as being the Most High God and not as some do by addressing You as 'the' or an 'absolute' which project an abstract being and not a loving Father who loves to communicate with His children. Amen. 



18. She kept doing this for many days. But Paul, very much annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, " I order you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her." And it came out that very hour.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verse 18)



Oh God my Father although this negative spirit was proclaiming a truth it was becoming annoying to the point that it had to be ordered not to possess the person anymore.  As Christians and Roman Catholics, we need to be very careful when proclaiming Your Word, for we can also risk being annoying to others. In good faith oh God my Father I share each chapter that I pray on, however, others may still consider these posts as spam if they do not like it. Amen.



 19. But when her owners saw that their hope of making money was gone, they seized Paul and Silas and dragged them into the marketplace before the authorities. 20. When they had brought them before the magistrates, they said, "These men are disturbing our city; they are Jews 21. and are advocating customs that are not lawful for us as Romans to adopt or observe."



(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 19 to 21)



Oh God my Father as the maxim holds, we either make or break. Up to the point where we are benefiting from a person or source, we give praise and even worship as we do to You, however as soon as the person goes against our agendas we change our attitude and become negative to that same person and even to You, and forget all the good deeds that we had ever received from You or from that other person. Amen



22. The crowd joined in attacking them, and the magistrates had them stripped of their clothing and ordered them to be beaten with rods. 23. After they had given them a severe flogging they threw them into prison and ordered the jailer to keep them securely. 24. Following these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and fastened their feet in the stocks.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 22 to 24)



Oh Jesus Son of God my Father, how corrupt can we become. In order to please others and help to preserve the social order, Paul and Silas were flogged and imprisoned. I pray that for our own good and fort that of others we will never forsake justice and truth in order to be people pleasers and seek the benefit of the majority over the rights of individuals Amen.

 

25. About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them. 26. Suddenly there was an earthquake, so violent that the foundations of the prison were shaken; and immediately all the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 25 to 26)



Oh God, my Father how great is the power of praise and worship.  If it rocked the foundations of the prison and unfastened the chains of the prisoners thus giving them the opportunity to be free, praise and worship can also rock the foundations of our lives and set us free from all that is a bondage to us. You can free us of addictions, compulsions, issues of anger management, gambling and even more if we raise our hearts and spirits to You in praise and worship as did Paul and Silas, who used the hymns in order to pray.





I invite all who wish to join all the members of the Roman Catholic Church in the singing of such powerful and uplifting hymns I invite you to visit your play store and download the 'Divine Office' where we can pray with the psalms throughout the entire day. I invite you to click on the following link to view a sample of such prayers that are specifically tailored for each day ;-



The Divine Office



27. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, drew his sword and was about to kill himself, since he supposed that the prisoners had escaped.


(Acts of the Apostle Chapter 16 verse 27)


Oh God, my Father there are moments when we act on a supposition and as in the case of the jailer we commit serious mistakes that may cost either our lives or those of others. Therefore, we are never to assume but discern the will of God before jumping to conclusions Amen.



28. But Paul shouted in a loud voice, "Do not harm yourself, for we are all here." 29. The jailer called for lights, and rushing in, he fell down trembling before Paul and Silas.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 28 to 29)


Oh God my Father please bring us out of our darkness, for we are able of causing much harm to ourselves and to others when we are in such a state of darkness. May Your light penetrate our state of darkness, so that we may all come  trembling in Your presence Amen.



30. Then he brought them outside and said, "Sirs, what must I do to be saved?" 31. They answered, "Believe on the Lord Jesus. and you will be saved, you and your household."


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 30 to 31)



The jailer asked the fatal question in relation to his salvation. Many of us including myself, may be under the impression, that one needs to perform miracles or grandiose deeds in order to be worthy of salvation. However in truth, all we need to do is to believe in You my God and Father. Once we place our belief and trust in You alone our lives change, because we have resigned the old corruptible self with all its urges and sinful demands and this has transformed into a new updated self-based on You. Amen.



32. They spoke the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verse 32)



Every time oh God my Father that You permit us to meet someone, anywhere and anytime is a good moment for us to spread the "Good News", for that person may be in need of it especially during that particular moment Amen.



33. At the same hour of the night he took them and washed their wounds; then he and his entire family were baptized without delay. 34. He brought them up into the house and set food before them; and he and his entire household rejoiced that he had become a believer in God.



(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 33 to 34)



Oh God my Father as the guard took Paul and Silas and washed their wounds, You are also in the process of healing me of my wounds. Every day of my life is a day of therapy which is ongoing until I am fully healed Amen.



35. When morning came, the magistrates sent the police, saying, "Let those men go." 36. And the jailer reported the message to Paul, saying, "The magistrates sent word to let you go; therefore come out now and go in peace."



(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 35 to 36)



Oh God my Father, acts of love and kindness are able to move mountains as You one told us, let alone soften the hearts of the authorities such as magistrates. Amen. I pray that when I appear before You my God and Father, I will also benefit from Your love and kindness Amen.



37.  But Paul replied, "They have beaten us in public, uncondemned, men who are Roman citizens, and have thrown us into prison; and now are they going to discharge us in secret? Certainly not! Let them come and take us out themselves."



(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verse 37)



As much as Paul felt proud that he was a Roman Citizen and felt that the way they were treated was not fair, as Christians and or Roman Catholics, we are also to feel proud that we are following You and that we are Your friends Amen. Moreover, we are also to take it personally when we witness non-believers placing Your name in disgrace for You are our God and Father and our belief means as much to us, as citizenship meant to Paul. Amen.



38. The police reported these words to the magistrates, and they were afraid when they heard that they were Roman citizens; 39. so they came and apologized to them. And they took them out and asked them to leave the city. 40. After leaving the prison they went to Lydia's home; and when they had seen and encouraged the brothers and sisters there, they departed.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 16 verses 38 to 40)



Oh God my Father may power only be used but never abused, may we never need to refer to power, because everything will take place in a just and right way. May we be humble in heart and spirit and give thanks in a situation and not have higher expectations and complain because the situation could have been solved in a better way Amen.


Oh God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:


Oh God, my Father my ways are not always Your ways, however, I still thank and praise Your name for never quitting on me, even though we are so different from each other. I thank You for loving me as I am and not as You wish me to be. Amen.
 

 


         

The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15

Acts of the Apostles 

Chapter 

15

1. Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, "Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved."

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verse 1)

Oh God my Father how important it is for us Christians and Roman Catholics, to be updated about the faith and about the encyclical's of the Vatican Council and recent letters by Pope Francesco, because even among ourselves if we are in error on truths and dogmas and teachings about current issues such as homosexuality among others we will be mistaken ourselves, and may also hinder others who may hold as truth all that we say about You even if we are mistaken. In order to be of help, I have included the following link which is the homepage of the Vatican, where we can find the latest updates and all that we are to know. I invite you to check Your ideas and beliefs in order to see if they are intact with the teachings of the Roman Catholic Church as inspired by the Holy Spirit of God.

Vatican Homepage




2. And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verse 2)



Oh God my Father, how beautiful it is to treat our problems and issues in a spirit of dialogue instead of quarrels rebellions and confrontation that leads to divisions instead of unity. At times we may arrive at a point, that aiming for a win-lose situation may result in winning the argument but, however leaving a negative effect on the relationship. At times it would be wiser to aim for a win - win situation were all win to some degree and nobody loses, therefore a settlement is reached that favours both parties, especially if the issue is trivial and not a matter of life and death. On needs to decide which is of most value, the argument or the relationship and keep that in mind as a starting point. Amen.




3. So they were sent on their by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verse 3)



Oh God my Father, I had many jobs throughout my live and consider myself as an all-rounder. However, I view this not as being incapable of performing as required, but as being sent on a mission to speak about You to a particular person or persons. Although my external performance was not efficient to reach the desired goal, You gave me the skills to be efficient on a spiritual level and a lot of good was done. Today I am working in a call centre which I also believe that You sent me there to continue this mission of spreading the Good News. Amen. I pray oh God my Father, that You keep on using me in the spreading of Your Good News Amen.




4. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verse 4)


Oh God my Father what a nice feeling it would be for all if the priest and other Roman Catholics and Christians made us feel at home on going to Church especially on Sunday. If we all welcomed each other with a brotherly and sisterly big hug and were asked about our spiritual welfare more than our social welfare. How motivating it would be to find a new family that really cares waiting, for us. Only then the meaning of true fellowship and brotherhood and sisterhood would be experienced.




5. But some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, "It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses"


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verse 5)


Oh God my Father during our times and even those before us and even in the future there will always be many voices, that dictate this and that about You, however, all these voices, although they might have a good intention may be the actual truth. However, if we believe in You and also believe that You guide the Roman Catholic Church and even other churches by the power of the Holy Spirit in order to enlighten our ways. Even though I am a Roman Catholic oh God my Father I never block out any teachings of others, for it may well be that You may be speaking by means of others. Although I always keep in mind Your teachings  I also keep in mind that at some point in time You could even speak to me by those who are against me or who have a different value and belief system. Therefore, while activating our filter, we are to be tolerant of others, for it would be a great loss if You happen to be talking to us and our hearts are hardened due to our bias against others and their belief systems and values.




6. The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. 7. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, "My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. 8. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; 9. and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. 10. Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11. On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will|"


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verses 6 to 11)


Oh Holy Spirit of the Almighty God, I greatly thank You for enlightening the hearts and minds of Popes Bishops and even priests, and by speaking and leading us by means of their physical presence. Throughout the years as a consequence, there have been many encyclicals that all reflect Your presence, one of change and illumination, and not of stagnation. I pray that You keep on shedding light on the current issues that we are experiencing in 2016 so that we will keep on walking in Your ways Amen.




12. The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verse 12)


Oh God my Father, how nice it is for us to listen to each other as we share our experiences of Your intervention in our lives, in order for all to be built in spirit and in faith. Amen. Even though there was a hot issue at stake, all the parties involved listened to each other and those responsible compared the proclamation of Paul and Barnabas with all that was written in the books of the prophets in relation to the gentiles including us for we can also be classified as gentiles for we are not Hebrews. I thank You, God for giving us the opportunity to be included in Your Church Amen.





13. After they had finished speaking, James replied, "My brothers, listen to me. 14. Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. 15. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, 16. 'After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up, 17. so that all other peoples may seek the Lord even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things 18. known from long ago.'


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verses 13 to 17)





Oh God being Your followers we base our life and all that we know about the message of the Good News, anything that is not according to Your Word needs to be considered before being accepted. Amen. The world teaches us many things and theories, however, we are to consider if the message agrees with the values and teaching of Your 'Good News' Amen.




19. Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, 20. but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood, 21. For in every city, for generations Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues."


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verses 19 to 21)



Oh God my Father, I thank You for not making us bear more than we can carry, especially if we are still in the beginning of our relationship with You. Amen.




22. Then the apostles and the elders with the consent of the whole church decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, 23. with the following letter; "The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. 24. Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds, 25. we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, 26. who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. 27. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. 28. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials; 29. that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell."


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verses 22 to 29)





Oh God my Father You gave us an example of how decisions are taken. During this meeting or council, a very important issue was treated. The core issue was that of whether we are to issue rules or ways of life, to new Catholics or Roman Catholics who have just converted to the faith with too many rules or be rigid in the execution of such rules. People who are still new to the faith are to be treated with special care for if not they may feel discouraged and go back to their old ways. Therefore care is to be taken on what we say to others about our faith, for we can easily lead others astray by what we say. As long as what we say reflects Your teachings may we all continue to spread the message fo the Good News Amen.




30. So they were sent off and went down to Antioch. When they gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. 31. When its members read it, they rejoiced at the exhortation.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verses 30 to 31)


Oh God, my Father how sweet is the state of dialogue! In a spirit of dialogue, many issues can be dealt with and a trust -worthy conclusion that is good for all parties can be agreed on. Amen




32. Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, said much to encourage and strengthen the believers.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verse 32)






Oh God my Father, may we all be prophets in the sense of having a positive attitude that encourages and empathises with others instead of being negative and cynical. Amen.




33. After they had been there for some time, they were sent off in peace by the believers to those who had sent them.  35. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, and there, with many others, they proclaimed the word of the Lord.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verses 33 to 35)



Oh God my Father this is the life of the missionary, when one has fulfilled the purpose of one's mission, when the new-formed community of believers is strong enough to start making its first independent steps like a baby who has started walking it is time to move on to another group of believers who are still in an atheist stage of their religious life. However by no means are toddlers abandoned completely to themselves, for You appointed Bishops and other leaders among the same group of new believers to continue leading the group in Your name and thus the foundations of a new structure are in place Amen.



The same applies to our spiritual life. In the very beginning of our relationship with You, we need much mentoring, however, the more You permit us to grow, the more we can continue to advance and help others to do likewise Amen. I greatly thank you for never abandoning us. Amen.




36. After some days Paul said to Barnabas, "Come, let us return and visit the believers in every city where we proclaimed the word of the Lord and see how they are doing."


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verse 36)


Oh, God almighty how nice it is to take care of Your children. Since the time of our birth, You never stop caring for us. I feel very secure to have You as my Father knowing that You are there all the time as my primary means of support. Paul wished to evaluate the spiritual welfare of those communities or the new group of believers in order to see how they were doing. It is nice to evaluate our own spiritual welfare not only our physical and financial, however when the communities started growing and when there were more countries still awaiting the Good News this may have appeared to be not as practical as Paul may have had considered it to be. However as in all cases, Your Holy Spirit inspired the Apostle in order to make the right decision and Your will was done. Amen.


37. Barnabas wanted  to take with them John called Mark. 38. But Paul decided not to take with them one who had deserted them in Pamphylia and had not accompanied them in the work. 39. The disagreement became so sharp that they parted company; Barnabas took Mark with him and sailed away to Cyprus. 40. But Paul chose Silas and set out, the believers commending him to the grace of the Lord. 41. He went through Syria and Cilicia, strengthening the churches.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 15 verses 37 to 41)




Oh, Holy Spirit of God my Father You work in strange ways, you are aware of our potential and You have chosen each one of us to perform a particular tasks or task in life. Among the apostles as in the case of Abraham and Lot, it was time for Paul and Barnabas two great flames to separate. By means of a quarrel, You brought the separation so that both of them could continue spreading the Good News in different parts of the world.




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




Oh God my Father blessed be Your Name and Your wonders. I thank You for the ways that You work in our lives, even though I do not always understand what You mean by certain decisions and situations that take place at the given time, however in time You always make me aware of Your intentions and I give a sigh of relief on becoming aware of the reality behind what I had considered as being something that I wanted or aimed for. Amen

The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14

Acts of the Apostles 

Chapter 

14

1. The same thing occurred in Iconium, where Paul and Barnabas went into the Jewish synagogue and spoke in such a way that a great number of both Jews and Greeks became believers. 2. But the unbelieving Jews stirred up the Gentiles and poisoned their minds against the brothers. 

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verses 1 to 2)

Oh God wherever You ventured the cross and persecution were always close by. The forces of evil cannot stand the fact that souls are saved from the never ending fires of hell, therefore, they do their best to claim more and more followers to keep the fires burning as in fuel. Oh God may we always be aware of the traps of the evil one. May You be the antidote for the poisonous trends and times that we are living in. Amen. Please activate our filters, give us Your wisdom, in order for us to discern what messages are positive from the purely dangerous and spiritually harmful ones.


3. So they remained for a long time, speaking boldly for the Lord, who testified to the word of his grace by granting signs and wonders to be done through them.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verse 3)



Oh God my Father, even though the Apostles faced  persecution from the Jews, they were not dismayed or frightened of losing their life. The more the persecution increased the more they proclaimed Your name. Oh God my Father this is a lesson for all of us to never be discouraged by the negative outcomes that take place, for those outcomes god will use them as a step forward for better opportunities in the times to come. An interview that I failed may be a blessing, for that same company would stop operating soon after I was employed, Therefore, it would be a blessing that You permitted me to fail the interview Amen.


4. But the residents of the city were divided; some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verse 4)


Oh God my Father as in the case of the Apostles we are divided. Part of us would like to follow You and Your ways while the other part of us wishes to follow the ways of the world. I pray oh God that You give us the will to overcome ourselves and our nature in order to walk and follow Your ways Amen.


5. And when an attempt was made by both Gentiles and Jews, with their rulers, to mistreat them and to stone them, 6. the apostles learned of it and fled to Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and to the surrounding country; 7. and there they continued proclaiming the good news.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verses 5 to 7)


Oh God my Father You love us so much that You take care of both our bodies and our souls. As in the case of the Apostles, You made them aware of the pending danger of being stoned to death that was awaiting them. In order to continue using us and also because You loves, You save us from situations that might endanger us or place us in a situation that could physically harm or kill us. Thank You for loving and caring for us my Gid and Father. 


8. In Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet and had never walked, for he had been crippled from birth.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verse 8)


Oh God, this could easily be our case in our spiritual life. As in the case of this man, we could be spiritually crippled. We may think we are walking according to Your ways but in truth we may be still stuck on the commandments and therefore still in the Garden of Egypt or with Moses on Mount Sinai!


9. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul, looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, 10. said in a loud voice, "Stand upright on your feet." And the man sprang up and began to walk.



(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verses 9 to 10)


Oh God, when we communicate with each other we use verbal meaning words and non-verbal communication meaning gestures, tone, choice of words among other signals that we give to others. However, Your Word speaks to our heart. When I am at Church and listen to the homely, or at home as I am now meditating on this biblical verse, I feel that the message and the verse have a special meaning for myself and I feel greatly moved by it to amend my life and share it with others. Amen.


11. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, "The gods have come down to us in human form! 12. Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verses 11 to 12)



Oh God, how thirsty we are for You, without knowing we accept as holy anybody who shows signs of miracles and holiness. Oh God, we accept others who say that they have come in Your name but at times we do not accept You. Forgive us oh god my Father for having giving worship to people or things that can never love or redeem us. Forgive us when we have called the human holy and despised the holy for the human Amen.


13. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verse 13)


Oh God, we have a bad habit of adoring humans such as celebrities, politicians, footballers and other people thus giving them Your place and at times even the worship that is dedicated to You ,which goes directly against the commandment which ordered us to adore only You, our one and only God.


14. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, 15. "Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the sea and all that is in them. 16. In past generations he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways; 17. yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good-giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy."


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verses to 17)


Oh God my Father nobody deserves praise and worship apart from You. However there are people who impose their power over others who are caught in their spell as slaves and are compelled to give them adoration and reverence that is only due to You my God by kissing their feet and shoes and letting them walk over their body and harm them with their high heels in order to get sexual gratification. No! Oh God! Praise and worship are only to be given to You and not to humans, for all our love and providence and the miracles that You perform in our lives have their origin in You and not in humans. Amen. 


18. Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them. 19. But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. 20. But when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the city. The next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.


(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verses 18 to 20)


Oh God, my Father our emotions are like fire, today we say we love each other and after a disagreement we attack each other with all that we have by judging each other. When we throw stones at each other we are judging each other. However oh Jesus, You who had the right to judge us did not do so. Moreover, anybody who wishes to spread the Word of God expects nothing better than persecution. However we are never losers for God is on our side. Amen. 


21. After they had proclaimed the good news to that city and had many disciples, they returned to Lystra, then on to Iconium and Antioch. 22. There they strengthened the souls of the disciples and encouraged them to continue in the faith. saying "It is through many persecutions that we must enter the kingdom of God."


(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verses 21 to 22)


Oh God, my Father as in human development where growth takes place in stages, the soul also needs to grow in the same way through a series of stages. During the process of our spiritual growth, Your Holy Spirit may take us back to those areas in which more growth is needed so that our development is complete. Oh God I am still unfinished business. May You continue to help me grow in my areas of weakness that one day according to Your will I will be whole and complete Amen.



23. And after they had appointed elders for them in each church, with prayer and fasting they entrusted them to the Lord in whom they had come to believe.


(The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verse 23)


Oh God my Father I wish to thank You for our elders meaning our Bishops who guide us in Your name. In Malta, we have been blessed with many Bishops who at the appointed time were instrumental in the role and character that You gave to them. I particularly pray for the soul of our recent Bishop that You may have mercy on his soul and compensate him greatly for the exemplary life that he lived based on the values of the Gospel and all the Good News Amen. 


24. Then they passed through Pisidia and came to Pamphylia. 25. When they had spoken the word in Perga, they went down to Attalia. 26. From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commanded to the grace of God for the work that they had completed.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verses 24 to 25)



Oh God I observe in life, that there are certain moments where You ask us to go back to our origins as in the case of Paul and Barnabas. It may be oh God my Father, that we may have unfinished business, meaning that in some area of our lives we still have much to grow in, or as in the case of the University Student, we still lack in credits in order to graduate in that particular course of study. Therefore, You take us out of the field we are practising in and send us back to the lecture room to be exposed to more lectures and tutorials and even extra - curricular options so that we will be able to obtain the remaining credits Amen.


26. From there they sailed back to Antioch, where they had been commended to the grace of God for the work they had completed. 27. When they arrived, they called the church together and related all that God had done with them, and how he had opened a door of faith for the Gentiles. 28. And they stayed there with the disciples for some time.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 14 verses 26 to 28)


Oh God my Father when we offer You anything that we do, You create a super-abundance of prosperity, both on a spiritual and even on a material level. Moreover, how nice is sharing of the faith my God and Father. Instead of treasuring our peak moments for our, selves and focus on personal growth, it would be better to keep on growing and share our experiences with others, so that they may also grow Amen.


Oh God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:



Oh God, You are aware of the need for new and holy vocations in order to compensate for those priests and monks, who are now of an age and will one day will be welcomed in Your presence for they would have finished their race on earth. I, therefore, pray for new vocations. I also pray for a new revival in the Church oh God. May we all be priests and religious in the sense of being able to experience spiritual growth ourselves and help others reach this holy and glorious aim. May we be active Christians and Roman Catholics and not followers from a distance. May we seek the benefit of others as much and more than that of our own Amen. I also pray for all students in the world who are sitting for exams, that You give them solid faith in You that if it is according to Your will they will be gifted with great results so that they will be Your instruments in the field of study that You wish them to pursue in the coming future Amen

The Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13

Acts of the Apostles 

Chapter 

13

1. Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 1)

Oh people of all nations God is inviting all to become active members of His body on earth that is the Roman Catholic Church. If it is the will of God to talk to us through other churches and maybe desires that others join these churches may all happen according to His divine will. However, God's main priority is our salvation. He has a place for all of us, regardless of our social standing, or belief. Today God is making us an open door offer on a take it or leave it basis. May we all decide to take Him up on this offer Amen.


2. While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work o which I have called them" 3. Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 2 to 3)


Oh God, Your voice is never silent. You are always speaking to us in some way or another. However in special circumstances as in those of the chapter 13 You, choose to make Your voice heard. I am proud to have had heard that strong voice at the time of my calling which was a golden day, which I still long to experience again. As much as You chose Paul and Barnabas to spread throughout the world and spread your message and the gift of salvation, I also feel that You have given me the role of praying on Your Word and sharing it online with all who want to receive and accept it Amen. 


4. So being sent out by the Holy Spirit, they went down to Seleucia; and from there they sailed to Cyprus. 5. When they arrived at Salamis, they proclaimed the word of God in the synagogues of the Jews. And they had John also to assist them.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 4 to 5)


Oh God once we are driven by the power of Your Holy Spirit we can never imagine where we will venture to. Once we accept to resign our will to that of God he is the one who chooses where we go and not ourselves. Throughout my lives, I changed many jobs. I believe that God permitted these changes so that I can spread His name in different areas of life Amen.


6. When they had gone through the whole island as far as Paphos, they met a certain magician, a jewish false prophet, named Bar-Jesus.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 6)


Oh God ever since the time when You were still physically with us, You had warned us against false prophets or people who come in Your name and say that they are You. During our times, there are many who are offering a false salvation based on a life of luxury and comfort based on the latest technology and scientific findings. However in truth people who choose such a life are on the path leading to their own destruction. 



7. He was with the proconsul, Sergius Paulus, an intelligent man, who summoned Barnabas and Saul and wanted to hear the word of God. 8. But the magician Elymas (for that is the translation of his name) opposed them and tried to turn the proconsul away from the faith.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 7 to 8)


Oh God even though we may be intelligent in the ways of the world, we may still be ignorant and have a great thirst for Your ways as in the case of the Sergius Paulus. However every time we show motivation to follow You, the evil spirits do their best to hinder us from receiving Your Word and its message of Salvation. Oh God may our hearts always be receptive to welcome both You and Your Gospel, and may the knowledge of the World, never replace our faith in You Amen.



9. But Saul, also known as Paul, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked intently at him 10. and said, "You son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, full of all deceit and villainy, will you not stop making crooked the straight paths of the Lord?

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 9 to 10)


This is a constant battle between the forces of God and the forces of evil, who use all their possible means in order to make crooked the perfect ways of God.



11. And now listen-the hand of the Lord is against you, and you will be blind for a while, unable to see the sun". Immediately mist and darkness came over him, and he went about groping for someone to lead him by the hand.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 11)



Oh, Jesus You Yourself told us that when we pray in good faith that our prayers can be fulfilled miracles will happen. You told us that if we tell the mountain in Your name to move from one place to another this will be done. This is manifested oh Jesus by Your servant Paul who without even proclaiming that what was about to happen was according to Your will simply gave the command and it was fulfilled. Therefore, when we lift our prayers we are to do so in faith without having no room or occasion to doubt if our prayers will be answered or not, even though at times the response does not always happen instantly as in the case of Your servant Paul.


12. When the proconsul saw what had happened, he believed, for he was astonished at the teaching about the Lord.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 12)



Oh God and my Father, may we be influenced to believe You not only by external physical signs but by Your Word, that we may change our ways and accept You as being the one and only God of our lives and the one and only reason for us to live, for it is only when in Your presence that we have true life. Amen.



13. Then Paul and his companions set sail from Paphos and came to Perga in Pamphylia. John, however, left them and returned to Jerusalem; 14. but they went on from Perga and came to Antioch in Pisidia. And on the sabbath day they went into the synagogue and sat down



(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 13 to 14)




In the beginning of this ministry, the group of three set sail, however on the way for some reason they did not remain united. For some reason John left the group and St. Paul and Barnabas proceeded together. When something good is going to take place the evil one will stop at nothing to try and disrupt the unity of the believers by stimulating us to discord and division, however Paul and Barnabas were being driven by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, who for some reason permitted the group not to venture together on this mission. Although it seems a manifestation of discord among the apostles, God is always in control of every situation of our lives, and all that takes place happens for our own good.



In order to view the route taken by Paul and Barabas please click on the following link:-


The route of St Paul and Barnabas



15. After the reading of the law and the prophets, the officials of the synagogue sent them a message, saying, "Brothers, if you have any word of exhortation for the people, give it" 


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 15)



Og God by means of St. Paul You gave us a very important lesson in prudence and humility. Even though St Paul had a good intention of spreading the message of the 'Good News' he did not impose it on others but humbly waited for the permission to speak and waited until he received the go-ahead to do so. At times throughout  the course of life, we are to wait for Your 'go ahead' before important changes that we have long been waiting for can actually take place. Therefore, if we have not received God's benediction we either wait and remain firm in faith and prayer or pray God to show us more available or different options in order to deal with our issue. Amen.




16. So Paul stood up and with a gesture began to speak: "You Israelites, and others who fear God, listen.

(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 16)



Oh God, Your message or 'Good News' is for all who accept it, for all who have ears to listen, and an open heart to love and accept without doubting the message or trying to contradict it. Amen. Instead of trying to change the Word of God it is better to let the Word of God change us. Amen



17. The God of this people Israel chose our ancestors and made the people great during their stay in the land of Egypt, and with uplifted arm he led them out of it.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 17)


As in the case of Your chosen people oh God my Father we have also been chosen, to lead a life in consecration to You. Even during our moments of Egypt or persecution, You are able to lead us out of our tribulations successfully with our heads held high.



18. For about forty years he put up with them in the wilderness.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 18)


Oh, Jesus how patient You are with humanity. I would have lost my patience after a few minutes, not after 40 years. I thank You for being so patient with me and others, for we are all frail and even though we promise not to commit the same sin time and time again, we still end up in the same situations.


19. After he had destroyed seven nations in the land of Canaan, he gave them their land as an inheritance 20. for about four hundred fifty years. After that he gave them judges until the time of the prophet Samuel.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 19 to 20)


Oh God, my Father even though You had proved Yourself worthy and faithful during all that time your people still asked for judges to be rulers over them. Who could be a better leader oh God between You and humans, however as sinners we preferred to chose human leaders over You. Today we may be doing the same thing. It is time to ask ourselves the same question. Who are we following as our leader You or the leaders of the World?



21. Then they asked for a king; and God gave them Saul son of Kish, a man of the tribe of Benjamin, who reigned for forty years. 22. When he had removed him, he made David their king. In his testimony about him he said, 'I have found David, son of Jesse, to be a man after my heart, who will carry out all my wishes,' 23. Of this man's posterity God has brought to Israel a Savior, Jesus, as he promised;


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 21 to 23)


Oh God even though we do not always see You working in our lives, You are always busy. Throughout the course of time, You had already been preparing the way by means of kings and prophets in order to pave the way for Your coming in the person of Jesus. During our times, You are surely preparing for the second and final visit, and I truly believe that all the events that are taking place are a part of Your great masterplan. Yesterday the 22nd of March there were two explosions in Brussels that claimed the lives and injured many people. Following this event, a gale force is in force in order to prevent air flights, so that more lives will not be lost if the next target or bomb or human bomb is to take place on an airplane. I thank You oh God my Father for being so proactive. Amen. You are always many steps ahead of us in You have control over all that takes place on earth and in the world at large.



24. before his coming John had already proclaimed a baptism of repentance to all the people of Israel. 25. And as John was finishing his work, he said, 'What do you suppose I am? I am not he. No but one is coming after me; I am not worthy to untie the thong of the sandals on his feet.'


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 24 to 25)



Before You came oh Jesus You sent John in order to baptize with the waters of the river which would lead to our repentance. However, this was followed by Your baptism which was not with the waters of the river but with the power of Your Holy Spirit which leads to our living a new life in the Spirit. I thank You for having me the opportunity to live this experience of being baptized in the Holy Spirit. Amen. With reference to this form of baptism please click on the following link:-


Baptism of the Holy Spirit


26. "My brothers, you descendants of Abraham's family, and others who fear God, to us the message of this salvation has been sent.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 26)


Oh Brothers and Sisters who read this blog and pray on the word of God as I do, the message of Salvation is for us who believe in Him and his message. Many others in the world may also receive the message, but if they do not believe in You oh Jesus it is of no value. I pray oh God that one God there will be no unbelievers in the world and we will be one big happy family with You as our father.



27. Because the residents of Jerusalem and their leaders did not recognize him or understand the words of the prophets that are read every sabbath, they fulfilled those words by condemning him.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 27)


At times oh Jesus my Father, I do not always understand the message that You are trying to pass on to me even though You have helped me to become familiar with it throughout these fourteen years of meditating on Your Good News. I end up making the wrong decisions, however later on You show me that even the bad decision and its consequences were part of the Master Plan that You fashioned for my Salvation. Therefore, I always thank You in advance oh God, for You permit all to happen for my own good and even though at the time I do not understand the reasons You are still in control of the situation Amen.

28. Even though they found no cause for a sentence of death, they asked Pilate to have him killed.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 28)


Oh, Jesus if though many times it  is our fault that we end up  in trouble in order to cover up our mistakes we tend to place the blame on You in order to justify ourselves in the given situation. Instead of admitting that by means of our sinful life we have told You to get our life, when the going gets tough we start asking the fatal question, where was God in the situation, and why did he not  respond to our prayers.


29. When they had carried out everything that was written about him, took him down from the tree and laid him in a tomb. 30. But God raised him from the dead; 31. and for many days he appeared to those who came up with him from Galilee to Jerusalem, and they are now his witnesses to the people.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 29 to 31)


Oh God everything that is written in the Good News of the Gospels and the Old Testament was fulfilled by means of Your passion which had been prophesized since the time of the prophets. However on being resurrected not everybody had the privilege of seeing You in the form of resurrection but only those who really believe in You. Many years have passed since then and we can still experience You in a spirit of prayer and communion by means of the Sacrament of the Eucharist.


32. And we bring you the good news that what God promised to our ancestors 33. he has fulfilled for us,their children, raising Jesus; as also it is written in the second psalm, ''You are my Son; today I have begotten you.'


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 32 to 33)


Oh God my Father during our times 2016 You have also fulfilled the promise for us, for we are also Your children. Every time we receive Your Good News and welcome it in our spirits You are born again in us, for our lives are renewed again. Amen. I thank You for the renewal of our souls each time we receive You in the sacrament of the Eucharist.


34. As to his raising him from the dead, no more to return to corruption, he has spoken in this way, 'I will give you the holy promises made to David.' 35. Therefore he has also said in another psalm, 'You will not let your Holy One experience corruption.'


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 34 to 35)


Oh, Jesus, You rose from the dead and Your body, did not experience physical decay, because You died in the flesh and rose in the Spirit of God, that restored and renewed both the physical and the spiritual which in itself remained pure as ever. Although as humans we are living oh God my Father if we do not experience Your presence it is as though we are already dead. Therefore, in order to be totally alive, we are to live in the Spirit and then even our bodies will be renewed for our lives will be offered completely to You.


36. For David, after he had served the purpose of God in his own generation, died, was laid beside his ancestors, and experienced corruption; 37. but he whom God raised up experienced no corruption. 38. Let it be known to you therefore, my brothers, that through this man forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you; 39. by this Jesus everyone who believes is set free from all those sins from which you could not be freed by the law of Moses.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 36 to 39)


Oh God my Father the big difference between You and David among many is that on dying David experienced corruption, however unlike Your death, David's death was not effective in the redemption of our sins, but yours was.



40. Beware, therefore, that what the prophets said does not happen to you: 41. 'Look, you scoffers! Be amazed and perish, for in your days I am doing a work that you will never believe, even if someone tells you.'"


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 40 to 41)


Oh God, this warning is also valid for our times. You are still at work even though we are alienated by the ways of the world. Wake up, break out of the prison of the self, and experience the light of God, for our salvation may be nearer than we think it is. Food and worldly pleasure may never fulfill our soul and the body and six-packs are worthless at the point of death. God has not stopped working. He is preparing us and the world for His second visits, by means of all the events that are currently and have been taking place Amen.


42. As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people urged them to speak about these things again the next sabbath.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 42)



Oh God my Father the more I listen to You, the more I would like to hear more and more. My thirst for You can never be satisfied oh God my Father. Amen



43. When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them to continue in the grace of God.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verse 43)


Oh God the advice of Paul to the people of the Synagogue is the same advice You are giving us today. Even though we may be facing many tribulations, we still need to keep on going, however, we are not alone for You are always with us. Thank You, God my Father for being so close Amen.


44. The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. 45. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy; and blaspheming, they contradicted what was spoken by Paul. 46. Then both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, "It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first  to you. Since you reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we are now turning to the Gentiles. 47. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying, 'I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles, so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.'"


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 44 to 47)



Oh God my Father You can turn a negative situation into a positive one. From one of tribulation and persecution as in the case of the unbelieving Jews who as direct descendants, had the right to inherit the message of the Good News, You permitted the apostles to turn on to those who were not of Jewish origin so that the message would continue to spread throughout the whole world. In such circumstances oh God, You even permitted the Apostle Paul to come to Malta, to spread the message of the Good News. Thank You Jesus. Amen.



48. When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the word of the Lord; and as many had been destined for eternal life became believers. 49. Thus the word of the Lord spread throughout the region.


(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 48 to 49)



Oh God, my Father may it be that we all feel the same gladness as these Gentiles in order to welcome You and Your message of Good News! May there be more believers and may Your Word continue to spread even during our times. I pray for missionaries, priests and catechists and those living in convents and monasteries so that by their example, their way of life, they will continue spreading Your Word and message of Salvation Amen.



50. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region. 51. So they shppk the dust off their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. 52. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.



(Acts of the Apostles Chapter 13 verses 50 to 52)



Oh God tit seems that here is no salvation without persecution. All those who have chosen to follow You and Your ways have experienced tribulation, that even resulted in their being killed for their faith in You. However as in the case of the Apostles, persecution is not to make us sad or discouraged but empowered in the Holy Spirit to continue spreading the Holy and Powerful Message of the Good News of Salvation in Your Name and by Your Name Amen.



Oh God my Father I would like to end this chapter with the following prayer:-



Oh God my Father, I pray for all preachers and missionaries throughout the world, I pray that You continue to bless all their works and multiply by a 10000 percent all that they do and all the people who receive You by means of the Good News and accept you as their Lord God and Father. I also pray that You protect them from the persecutions of both the present and even from the future. I pray that they remain firm in their vocation and continue being your right hand in the unfolding of the plan of Your salvation. I also pray for all Christians and Roman Catholics for we are all missionaries in our particular circles and environments. Amen