"Then calling together the twelve apostles....And he sent them to preach the kingdom of God, and to heal the sick."(Luke 9:1-2)
What kind of spirit is to animate the Kingdom of God? The same Holy Ghost that lead the Church from the first moment of its existence. We read about this in the history of first Christian communities in Jerusalem in this short but descriptive sentence: "And they were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles, and in the communication of the breaking of bread, and in prayers" (Acts 2:42). -They were persevering in the doctrine of the apostles - which means that the greatest concern of first Christians was to listen most carefully to Apostles' teaching. This explains their fortitude and strength proved soon in bloody persecutions: "Faith then cometh by hearing; and hearing by the word of Christ" (Romans 10:17). Do we always listen carefully and with reverence to sermons? Maybe we rather seek in them brilliant style rhetoric's rather than spiritual essence? Nothing more wrong: "my speech and my preaching was not in the persuasive words of human wisdom" (1 Cor 2:4). We should follow the example of first zealous Christians and learn from them. They persevered in communities according to principles laid by Apostles: "Bearing with one another, and forgiving one another, if any have a complaint against another: even as the Lord hath forgiven you, so do you also" (Col 3:13). Be always beacon of charity and peace, do not get involved in quarrels, being quick in forgiving insults and we will be the wisest and most charitable people. "They were persevering in the...communication of the breaking bread" - how pleasing it was to God and His Angels. The community stayed closely together and met at Lord's table daily (Acts 2:46), not once a year during Easter, nor several times per year. They persevered in prayers - how strong influence of the Holy Ghost was in these first Christian communities, the best example for us to follow. But also how receptive those faithful were to this influence! We should be considering day without prayer - a lost day. Let us pray for true Christian. Let us banish from our hearts every single, even slightest anti-Catholic opinion, or point of view, praying: " Thou shalt send forth thy spirit, and they shall be created: and thou shalt renew the face of the earth"(Psalm 103:30).
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