His Visible Presence

May 14 St Matthias, Apostle (instead of Wednesday of the 4th week of Easter): 

A thought for those who want to reveal the risen Jesus in their lifestyle.

Acts 1:15-17,20-26; Psalm 113:1-2,3-4,5-6,7-8; John 15:9-17

“A witness to his resurrection.” Acts 1:22

Peter said the “replacement apostle” had to be one who “accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us.” Only someone who knew Jesus could testify it was truly he who rose from the dead. And for us to reveal Jesus authentically as risen and acting in us today, we have to know how he thinks, speaks, and deals with people and events. To bear witness as prophets, we have to know Jesus—be “disciples,” students of his heart.

Bearing witness as a prophet is Phase Three of our growth into maturity as the body of Christ. Phase Two is committed discipleship. Phase One is cultivating awareness of the mystery of our identity. Through Baptism we “became Christ.” That is something to absorb.

As Christ’s body we are committed to making Jesus Christ a part of everything we do. We are prophets when we act visibly as the body of Christ, the Word of God made flesh. In us the words of Jesus are made flesh in action when we embody them visibly in our lifestyle. Christian witness is to live visibly in such a way that our life reveals the presence of the risen Jesus in us.

PRAY and PRACTICE: Form the habit of saying the “WIT prayer” all day: “Lord, do this with me, do this in me, do this through me.” Find ways to remind yourself to do it.

Be Christ

May 13 Tuesday of the 4th week of Easter: A thought for those who want to reveal the risen Jesus in their lifestyle.

Acts 11:19-28; Psalm 87:1-3,4-5,6-7; John 10:22-32

“My Father… has given them to me.” Acts 11:12

People only listen to prophets because they believe Jesus is speaking in them. “My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me.”

Prophets only dare to speak because they believe the Father has given them to Jesus. “My Father… has given them to me... The Father and I are one.”

It is all about Jesus: being his body on earth, following his Spirit, asking him to act with us, in us and through us in everything we do.

“Lord, let me think with your thoughts, speak with your words, and act as your body on earth.”

This is what it is to be a prophet. It is the vocation of every Christian anointed at Baptism with the words, “As Christ was anointed Priest, Prophet and King, so live as a member of his body.” We are all “prophets in the Prophet,” anointed to continue his mission.

The persecuted Christians who fled from Jerusalem were laity, not ordained priests. But they were “preaching the word” and “proclaiming the Lord Jesus” to Jews and Greeks. And “the hand of the Lord was with them and a great number who believed turned to the Lord.”

We are all prophets— sent to proclaim Jesus.

PRAY: “Lord, let me think with your thoughts and speak with your words, and act as your body on earth.”

PRACTICE: Try to make everything you say and do proclaim in some way the Good News.