MEDITATION OF THE DAY(SCRIPTURE READINGS: ACTS 14:5-18; JOHN 14:21-26)
THEME:GOD WANTS TO MAKE HIS HOME IN US  

In the gospel today, Jesus promises us that, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him.”   This is indeed a wonderful promise from God.  Our Christian dignity is not merely that we are human beings and therefore have human rights, but more because we are people whom God chooses to dwell within.  Indeed, it is unthinkable that we are called to be the dwelling place of God.  But this promise is real as we read how the apostles were mistaken as gods.

After healing a crippled man from birth, Paul was mistaken with Barnabas as the manifestation of the Greek gods.  They called Barnabas, Zeus and Paul, Hermes.   So amazed were they at the power of Paul to heal that even the priests of Zeus proposed “that all the people should offer sacrifice with them, brought garlanded oxen to the gates.”  And in spite of their objections, the people still worshipped them.  In fact, they were shocked as they said, “’Friends, what do you think you are doing? We are only human beings like you. We have come with good news to make you turn from these empty idols to the living God who made heaven and earth and the sea and all that these hold.”  But we read, “Even this speech, however, was scarcely enough to stop the crowd offering them sacrifice.”

We can understand the concerns of Paul and Barnabas.  They knew that there was only one true God and being strict monotheists, it was unspeakable and a great heresy to accept such homage from the people.  Clearly, they knew that they were not the ones who healed the crippled man but the Lord Jesus.  That is why the psalmist says, “Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory because of your mercy, because of your truth.”  Only God is the Lord and there is no other.  What the people of Lystra saw was the power of God working through Paul.  As a result, they mistook them for the Greek gods.  How could such a thing happen?  We can learn three lessons from today’s scripture readings.

Firstly, if the apostles were mistaken for gods, it was because they themselves had surrendered to the Lord Jesus that indeed, God dwelt in them.  That is what Jesus promises us too.  He said, “Anybody who receives my commandments and keeps them will be one who loves me; and anybody who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I shall love him and show myself to him.”   To be effective proclaimers of God’s love and mercy, it is important that we are channels of God’s love and mercy by living a holy and righteous life.  This is the case of many holy men and women who have given their hearts and souls to God.  Whenever we surrender ourselves to God, He will work wonders in our lives.  Even Mother Teresa is recognized as the incarnation of God by many Hindus in India because of her holiness, displayed in a life of obedience, faith and love for God and for humanity.

Secondly, if the pagans perceived them to be gods for healing the crippled one, it was because they have not encountered the Lord Jesus yet.  Believing that only God can do what Paul did, they came to conclude that he must be one of the gods living in their midst.  Many people are seeking to see the power and presence of God in their midst especially when we live in a world of technology where God is either dead or redundant.  Man thinks that technology is the new savior of the world.  Our task as Christians is to lead people into a personal encounter with the Risen Lord.  Unless people encounter the personal presence of the Risen Lord, they cannot give their lives to Him.

However, in the process, we must avoid falling into the trap of being worshipped and idolized.  Sometimes, we can get carried away by our success in ministry work.  We unconsciously or secretly think that success is due to our talents and hard work.  Instead of giving glory to God, we become proud and arrogant.  Instead of drawing people to God, we end up drawing people to ourselves.  That is why we must ask ourselves if we are truly drawing people to God, or are we happy to simply draw people to ourselves in ministry work?  We feel great when people compliment us.  Do we feel great instead because lives are changed and people have come to know the Lord?  Like John the Baptist, we must decrease and let Christ increase.  Like the apostles, we must consciously help our people to focus on Jesus rather than on ourselves.  When people are over-dependent on us, we are doing them a disfavor because we cannot be around always.  That is why we must give them Jesus instead who will dwell in them, and make His home in them.

Thirdly, if we truly want to bear fruit in our ministry and in our lives, we need to become the dwelling place of God more and more.  This is not possible without the assistance of the Holy Spirit.  We know that we can be in union with Jesus and His Father only by a spiritual reading of the Word of God and by living the values in our lives.  In loving Jesus, the Father will come to dwell in us in the Holy Spirit.  But both the work of contemplation of the Word of God and putting them into practice is not possible without the help of the Holy Spirit.  That is why we must consciously turn to the Holy Spirit for His help as Jesus said, “I have said these things to you while still with you; but the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you.”  So let us in the Holy Spirit come to know Jesus more deeply and through Him, come to the Father.  In this way the promise of Jesus is fulfilled because the Father and the Son come to live in us in the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.  Truly, “if anyone loves me he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we shall come to him and make our home with him.”

PRAYER:"Lord Jesus, in love you created me and you drew me to yourself. May I never lose sight of you nor forget your steadfast love and faithfulness. And may I daily dwell upon your word and give you praise in the sanctuary of my heart, You who are my All."