Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

READINGS

Reading I Acts 16:22-34

The crowd in Philippi joined in the attack on Paul and Silas, and the magistrates had them stripped and ordered them to be beaten with rods. After inflicting many blows on them, they threw them into prison and instructed the jailer to guard them securely. When he received these instructions, he put them in the innermost cell and secured their feet to a stake. About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose. When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped. But Paul shouted out in a loud voice, “Do no harm to yourself; we are all here.” He asked for a light and rushed in and, trembling with fear, he fell down before Paul and Silas. Then he brought them out and said, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.” So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house. He took them in at that hour of the night and bathed their wounds; then he and all his family were baptized at once. He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God.

REFLECTION

“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.” So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.

In this crisis, Paul and Silas, chose to trust in the Lord. As Paul and his companion chose to praise the Lord instead of moaning and complaining about their harsh treatment, the Holy Spirit uses them to plant His seed of Faith into the jailer and his family.

In the early church there was a crisis of spreading Jesus' Words even when they faced torture and death. Paul and Silas chose to surrender and trust in Jesus' promise to let His Holy Spirit work through them. An earthquake shakes loose the prison doors and the chains binding the prisoners. The prison guard is certain that he will suffer the consequences of their escape and attempts to fall on his sword, but Paul shouts that they are still here. The jailer sees that these prisoners are not afraid. He knows that their God saved them. So he asks, “Sirs, what must I do to be saved?”

And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.” So they spoke the word of the Lord to him and to everyone in his house.

What is the crisis we face today? Do we believe in the real presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist? Only 37% of Catholics including priests believe that Jesus Christ's body, blood, soul, and divinity enters the bread and wine at the consecration during Mass. Jesus is truly present in the Holy Eucharist.

How did Paul and Silas react to the crisis they faced? They prayed, praised, and gave witness to the truth. We must follow their example and pray for our priests to believe in the true presence of Jesus in the Holy Eucharist. Pray for them to give witness by preaching the truth and by being Christ to all people they encounter.

Let us pray for our priests to give witness to the truth and to be the Face of Christ to all people. Join us and pray the PAPA Prayer for Priests.