During the dramatic encounter with Saul while on his way to Damascus to persecute Christians, Jesus asked: "Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?" (Acts 9:4). For the next three days, Saul didn't eat or drink as he was contemplating the question. It's been said by many Bible commentators that what bothered Saul was the "me" part of Jesus' question. Saul didn't understand how he persecuted Jesus - he couldn't "see" how exactly Jesus got hurt during his murderous actions against the early Christians. Thenfollowing instructions from the Lord, Ananias came to see Saul. Laying his hands on Saul, Ananias said, "The Lord has sent me, Jesus who appeared to you on the way by which you came, that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit" (Acts 9:17). The Holy Spirit that came upon Saul also converted him to Paul. Saul was on a journey to destroy the New Testament. In answering Jesus' question of "why are you persecuting me?", St. Paul added fourteen books to the New Testament.
St. Paul wrote: "Yet I live, no longer I, but Christ lives in me" (Galatians 2:20). And this was the message Paul tried to spread - when you are a disciple of Christ, then it is no longer you that live, but it is Jesus Christ that lives in you. When somebody persecute you for being a disciple of Christ, it is not you getting hurt, but they are persecuting the Christ in you. Think about the comfort and moral boost such a thought process can bring us in a time of despair, during our trials and tribulations. Our body could be in pain with sickness and our mind could be weak with anxiety and setbacks. But if we have allowed Jesus Christ to dwell in us, in body and spirit, then He is feeling the pain in our body and He is experiencing the weaknesses of our mind. And when Jesus suffer in us, He would be asking the question "why you are persecuting me?" to another sinner, giving him grace to convert from Saul to Paul, again and again and again. When Jesus live in us, there are no needless sufferings in our life; for every hardship that we go through, God uses it for the conversion of a sinner. The pain, suffering and blood of the early Christians allowed Jesus to gain Paul, who indeed showed countless others the way to salvation.
On this Christmas, when see Jesus being born in countless mangers across the globe, we must ask in prayer to the Heavenly Father to let Jesus be born in us also. It is not "Jesus and me', instead it is "Jesus in me'. Don't worry about our hearts being dirty and don't bother with doing extensive preparations to welcome Him in our hearts, but rather remember, Jesus was born in a stable - a dirty place filled with muck and stink. Invite Him in regardless of your situation and welcome Him in spite of the state that you are in. He could bring the good news to the affixed, bind up the broken hearts, proclaim liberty to the captives, free the prisoners, and comfort all who mourn. (cf. Isaiah 6:1,2)
May the gifts of peace and joy be yours and your family's during this Christmas, and happiness dwell within you wherever you go! Merry Christmas to all of you out there.
"And the Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us, and we saw his glory, the glory as of the father's only Son, full of grace and truth" (John 1:14)
CALLED TO BE A NURSE
ReplyDeleteWhen You called me to be a nurse
I pretended to be deaf, not to hear
but Your call was very terse
I felt You more than ever near
I loved my job as a translator
I tried with all my might to escape
the deal with My celestial Debater
looking for the smallest tiniest gape
I barely ate, I barely slept
I refused to watch “Dr. Kildare”
for his nurse on me her eyes she kept
I had to run from her inviting stare
I like to serve but if at all
then as a flight attendant
this dragged my parents into a brawl
in which I acted as the defendant
Then came the day that I woke up
hearing Your inviting Voice
offering me to share Your loving Cup
how could I refuse this choice
You asked me to prepare
myself for “my task for later”
to get ready for the nursing care
and in Your Name to cater.
I accepted without restriction
and went swift to nursing school
my belief and strong conviction
became my most powerful tool
You've always been with me at the bedside
even patients testified of your omnipresence
some of them hot tears they cried
thankful to receive so much pleasance
but Lord wherever You are
there Your opponent prowls
as the magnificent dog star
enticing me to throw in the towels
I may well have lost a battle
but You promised me the victory
he will stop his tail rattle
when I read him his valedictory
I trust in You, my Savior and Provider. Rita Biesemans, 01/09/2014