Can you not hear the Lord say to you ”<insert your name> <insert your name> why are you persecuting me?” When you treat one another with disrespect? When you dishonor them through gossip? When you are not loving with your words and actions towards another? When you mistreat and abuse them? How then are you leading them closer to Christ? If they are not yet Christian, how will you lead them to baptism into the love of Christ Jesus when your words and actions will scandalize them instead!
We must repent of our sins, turn back to the Lord so that we might see the light once again! Only then can we live in the empowerment of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Who commanded us to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. We will be seen as true believers of Jesus when in His name we will cast out devils; we will have the gift of tongues; we will pick up snakes in our hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; we will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover. Amen
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First reading
Acts 22:3-16 ·
‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?’
Paul said to the people, ‘I am a Jew and was born at Tarsus in Cilicia. I was brought up here in this city. I studied under Gamaliel and was taught the exact observance of the Law of our ancestors. In fact, I was as full of duty towards God as you are today. I even persecuted this Way to the death, and sent women as well as men to prison in chains as the high priest and the whole council of elders can testify, since they even sent me with letters to their brothers in Damascus. When I set off it was with the intention of bringing prisoners back from there to Jerusalem for punishment.
‘I was on that journey and nearly at Damascus when about midday a bright light from heaven suddenly shone round me. I fell to the ground and heard a voice saying, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” I answered: Who are you, Lord? and he said to me, “I am Jesus the Nazarene, and you are persecuting me.” The people with me saw the light but did not hear his voice as he spoke to me. I said: What am I to do, Lord? The Lord answered, “Stand up and go into Damascus, and there you will be told what you have been appointed to do.” The light had been so dazzling that I was blind and my companions had to take me by the hand; and so I came to Damascus.
‘Someone called Ananias, a devout follower of the Law and highly thought of by all the Jews living there, came to see me; he stood beside me and said, “Brother Saul, receive your sight.” Instantly my sight came back and I was able to see him. Then he said, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will, to see the Just One and hear his own voice speaking, because you are to be his witness before all mankind, testifying to what you have seen and heard. And now why delay? It is time you were baptised and had your sins washed away while invoking his name.”’
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Gospel
Mark 16:15-18
Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News
Jesus showed himself to the Eleven and said to them:
‘Go out to the whole world; proclaim the Good News to all creation. He who believes and is baptised will be saved; he who does not believe will be condemned. These are the signs that will be associated with believers: in my name they will cast out devils; they will have the gift of tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and be unharmed should they drink deadly poison; they will lay their hands on the sick, who will recover.’
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