Do not be afraid it is I the Lord Your God, I stand with you in your hour of need and in your struggles. For I am with you always! This message is for you and all who will listen to my Word.
So then having heard His Word for us today, let me ask you…do you belong to a faith community? When was the last time you made yourself available to be in the presence of Jesus in your community? To reflect and share on His Word that gives life, meaning, hope and builds the community of disciples up? How have you contributed to the community by your gifts, talents? Have you given your all for the community you hold dear? Is your community growing in faith and love for one another?
Here is a truth we should reflect on deeply today? How are we One Body in Christ if we do not belong to any community which meets regularly to not only break bread but to share the Word of God? Belonging in a ministry is not the same as being part of a community unless the ministry gathers weekly or at least fortnightly to pray, share the word and strengthen fraternal bonds. We are not meant to remain as individuals saying things like it is between God and I! God knows me and I know Him. If you know God as you say you do then how can you not know that our God is a triune God? Have we forgotten the words of Jesus in John 17:22? ” I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one.”
O Holy Spirit unite us to Jesus Christ and to His Body. That we may all be One in Him. Amen
First reading
Acts 6:1-7 ·
They elected seven men full of the Holy Spirit
About this time, when the number of disciples was increasing, the Hellenists made a complaint against the Hebrews: in the daily distribution their own widows were being overlooked. So the Twelve called a full meeting of the disciples and addressed them, ‘It would not be right for us to neglect the word of God so as to give out food; you, brothers, must select from among yourselves seven men of good reputation, filled with the Spirit and with wisdom; we will hand over this duty to them, and continue to devote ourselves to prayer and to the service of the word.’ The whole assembly approved of this proposal and elected Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit, together with Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolaus of Antioch, a convert to Judaism. They presented these to the apostles, who prayed and laid their hands on them.
The word of the Lord continued to spread: the number of disciples in Jerusalem was greatly increased, and a large group of priests made their submission to the faith.
Gospel
John 6:16-21
They saw Jesus walking on the lake
In the evening the disciples went down to the shore of the lake and got into a boat to make for Capernaum on the other side of the lake. It was getting dark by now and Jesus had still not rejoined them. The wind was strong, and the sea was getting rough. They had rowed three or four miles when they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming towards the boat. This frightened them, but he said, ‘It is I. Do not be afraid.’ They were for taking him into the boat, but in no time it reached the shore at the place they were making for.
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