Chapter 13 to 18 of the Acts of the Apostle center on St. Paul's missionary journey. From being a persecutor of the Church to being a passionate preacher of the Gospel, St. Paul - moved and filled by the Holy Spirit - traveled from one city to another around the Roman Empire, to introduce Jesus as the Messiah and to create and strengthen evangelizing communities.

While his message was accepted in many places, he also encountered different oppositions and rejections which illustrates the reality of our journey as followers of Christ. Despite of this, the early Church continued to grow and was strengthened with his accompaniment. As Verbum Dei, we could draw inspiration and encouragement from his determination and perseverance in evangelization and  in creating and strengthening our evangelizing communities.
​
“The Verbum Dei Missionary Family in its announcement of the Word and formation of communities of evangelical life, evangelized, and evangelizing, also wishes to live and manifest the untiring missionary zeal of St. Paul in his humility of knowing himself to be a collaborator, and with profound gratitude for the grace received.” (Identity and Mission of the Verbum Dei Missionary Family no. 26)

​MONDAY (APRIL 29)
Acts 13

Acts 13 marks the beginning of the missionary journey of Paul. Together with Barnabas, they were set apart by the Holy Spirit and sent out with the prayers and blessings of the community in Antioch. Relying on the grace of the Holy Spirit and on the support of their community, their preaching led to the conversion of some Jews and Gentiles to believe in Jesus as the Messiah and strengthened their conviction despite the persecution that they also faced.

Looking at our personal and communitarian journey of following Christ as Verbum Dei, how do we experience the grace of the Holy Spirit and the mutual help in the community helping us to persevere in our life of prayer and mission? In what ways do you feel and don’t feel supported by the community in living out your baptismal consecration? In what way can you express your support to the members of the community?
​
“…The members of the VDMFa feel co-responsible for one another, mutually helping each other to discover and develop to the máximum their vocation tol ove and baptismal consecration…” (Identity and Mission of the Verbum Dei Missionary Family no. 86)

The example of how Paul and Barnabas handled both admiration and persecution in their missionary journey in Acts 14 is for us a strong example of humility and dedication to the mission of evangelization.

When treated as a god after healing a crippled man, Paul and Barnabas immediately refused and rejected the praise and took it instead as an opportunity to preach Christ to them.

When stoned and dragged out of the town because of people’s unbelief to what they were preaching, they continued preaching in Derbe and visit again the cities of Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia to strengthen and encourage the believers to remain true to their faith despite the challenges.
​
May it be in the face of admiration and persecution, Paul and Barnabas were firm and convinced of the intentionality of their mission .
What about us? How do we respond to admiration and persecution in our life of faith? Do we take both as an opportunity to encourage and lead the people to an encounter with God? Or dowe fall into self-righteousness when praised and into discouragement when rejected?

​This chapter narrates the tension that happened in the early Christian community, and how it was resolved by the Council of Jerusalem. There was a debate among believers whether the Gentile converts would need to follow the Jewish custom of circumcision in order to be saved.
 
To address this issue, Paul and Barnabas, together with some believers, apostles, and elders engaged in an active dialogue -- listening to one another and to the Word of God, sharing with sincerity their concerns, and discerning the movement of the Spirit as one community. Eventually, they came up with the decision that Gentile converts did not need to adhere to the Jewish custom -- a decision that transmitted God's grace and mercy beyond rules and God's desire for unity and communion.
 
Conflicts due to differences are inevitable in our family, workplace, and community. How do you deal with them? Do you also create safe spaces for healthy dialogue? Or you avoid them as much as you can? Do you seek guidance from the Holy Spirit in dealing with such circumstances? How do you live the spirituality of communion that we are called to live?
 
“In all areas where the VDMD is present, we are called to live the spirituality of communion as witnesses and architects of the project that God desires for all humanity..” (VDMD Regulations no. 97)
 
Let us ask the Holy Spirit that He may forge and cultivate in us a heart that is synodal -- a heart that is humble to listen ,sincere to express, and open and sensitive to the movement of the Spirit so that we can be a bridge of peace and communion in the reality where we are. Let us pray also for many realities that suffer from brokenness and violence because of lack of dialogue. 

Paul begins his second missionary journey. Along with Silas and Timothy, they travelled around Roman colonies to preach the Gospel. In this chapter, three conversion stories were highlighted:

1. Lydia, a woman of faith, was converted through the preaching of the apostles in a place of prayer.
2. A young servant woman/slave, who was possessed by the evil spirit was freed by the command of Paul.
3. The gaoler (jailer), who facilitated their imprisonment, was transformed through their witness of life.

From this, there are two points that we could reflect on:

1. We all need continous conversion. We could not say that we do not need conversion because we are already part of a community of faith. It is very important to recognize that we are all in the process of becoming Christ. This can make us reflect on ourselves: What aspects of your life need conversion in this time? What means could you put in order to be more aware  and be able to work on the aspects of your life that needs transfromation? (E.g Spiritual Direction, Exam of the Day, Revision of Life, etc.)
2. Conversion of one's heart is the work of the Holy Spirit but our active collaboration is also essential. Fidelity to our charism of prayer, preaching, and witness of life could make a difference in the life of others and could contribute to their transformation. Do I believe in this? How am I called to collaborate with the Holy Spirit in His work of conversión in me and in the life of others.

​“..Therefore, we VDMDs must consider ourselves as being on a journey of ongoing missionary formation. For this reason, we will try to live a humble attitude of daily conversion, putting the means at our disposal to maintain the identity of the VDMD until the end.” (VDMD Regulations no. 66)

In these two chapters, Paul continued to encounter various kinds of people with different cultural, social, and political status in life where he had the opportunity to preach Jesus as the Messiah. He was able to engage with the Jews, Gentiles, open-minded people of Berea, Greek men and women of high social standing, Epicurian and Stoic teachers, city Council of Areopagus, and tentmakers Aquila and Priscilla. While his message found opposition and rejection, many also believed and expressed interest in knowing Jesus.

Indeed, the Word of God is for ALL! It transcends all forms of diversity. Yet to reach out to people with different social status, political and cultural background, and specific reality, we need to be courageous and sensitive in the way we transmit the life and love of God so that our efforts of evangelization could truly be a transformative experience for them like what St. Paul did.

Looking at your personal and our communal efforts in evangelization, how do you/we take into consideration the background and the reality of the people when we reach out and preach to them? Do we consider their level of understanding, social status, language, etc. in tranmissiting the Word of God? Or we reach out and preach in the way most convenient to us?

“The Verbum Dei missión can adopt various forms and spaces according to the call, creativity, and possibilities of its members and different sensibilities of the people and persons to whom it is addressed. The greatest effectiveness in the announcement and propagation of the Kingdom Will always determine the spirit, action, methods and techniques of apostolate so that each group and each eprson can carry out the Verbum Dei Mission.” .” (Identity and Mission of the Verbum Dei Missionary Family no. 44)
​
Let us pray that like St. Paul, we could be missionary disciples who are authentic and effective evangelizers to ALL and for ALL.

PRAYER FOR THE CONGRESS
To be held in Loeches, Spain from August 30 – September 27, 2024
​
“Communion, Consecration and Participation in the Mission”

This week, we will pray and reflect on Chapters 6 to 12 of the Acts of the Apostles which narrates how the believers continue the mission of evangelization.

The quarrel between the Greek-speaking Jews and the native Jews was brought out to the twelve apostles whose decision was to search for seven persons appointed to serve and to handle the finances. They suggested the profile of these seven deacons or servers: good standing, full of the Holy Spirit and of wisdom. It means that everybody in the Christian community regardless of status, specific work, responsibility is a person guided by the Spirit.

Do I believe that everybody in our Verbum Dei Missionary Family is a disciple called by God first and foremost to be guided by the Spirit? How to help each other to be open to the guidance of the Spirit? God counts on each of us to be an evangelizing community guided by the Spirit.

At the same time, for the apostles, it is very clear their concrete dedication: “We ourselves, then, will give our full time to prayer and the work of preaching.” In the NRST Bible, it says: “We, for our part, will devote ourselves to prayer and to serving the word.” To serve has a wider connotation than to preach.
​
In Identity and Mission of the Verbum DEI Missionary Family (IMVDMFa) no. 25: “Therefore, the Verbum Dei Missionary Family, with the motto of the first disciples of Jesus, ´Orationi et ministerio verbi instante´ (Acts 6:4), and the spirit of the first Christian community, concretizes and centers its specific mission in the Word of God: to pray with the Word, assimilating it until it becomes our own life, transforming ourselves in it and teaching others to do the same, so they may pray, live and teach it experientially to others”. It´s quoted from CVDMF 17 (Verbum Dei Constitutions).

TUESDAY & WEDNESDAY (APRIL 22-23)
Acts 6:8 – 7:60

Today and tomorrow, we will read and pray on these two chapters. On Tuesday, we will focus more on Acts 6:8-7:53 and on Wednesday on Acts 7:54-60.

Stephen´s witness is narrated in these two chapters. Stephen is one of the deacons or servers chosen by people with the approval from the apostles. He was persecuted and eventually became the first martyr in the history of the Church (we celebrate his feast day on December 26). The first martyr is a member of the group of believers, not one of the apostles. How was his faith in Jesus? He was a person of prayer and ready to defend Jesus’ life up to death.

Stephen´s speech to the Jews authorities is a manifestation of his spiritual life and his love for Jesus. He is well versed about the history of salvation. In fact, this speech is a summary of the whole history from Abraham up to Jesus. He was not afraid to speak boldly about their disobedience to the law of Moses and their part in Jesus’ passion and death by betraying him.

The Jews could not bear such kind of accusations and killed Stephen by stoning him. The last words of Stephen were like those pronounced by Jesus on the cross: “Lord Jesus, receive my spirit” and “Lord, do not remember this sin against them.” These questions came into my mind: Was Stephen present in Calvary when Jesus died? Did he learn from Jesus how to pray forgiving his enemies?

Lord, what can I learn from Stephen today? Holy Spirit, lead us to be disciples in love with you and for you.
​
Saul (future Saint Paul) was present in the martyrdom of Stephen and approved it.

THURSDAY
Acts 8:4 -8, 26 - 40

The believers were persecuted and it was a good occasion to preach the Good News of the Lord Jesus Christ to Samaria and the places nearby.

In this passage, the apostle Philip met the Ethiopian official on his way to Samaria. There are some important points to take into consideration:

1. The Holy Spirit guides Philip to approach the person who is hungry for the Word of God.
2. Philip´s missionary work is to explain the Word of God to this concrete person.
3. When the Ethiopian official was baptized and received the Holy Spirit, Philip disappeared.

We can identify our apostolic work with this passage:

1. The Holy Spirit pushes us to approach people to transmit the Word of God to them. Do I allow myself to be pushed by the Holy Spirit when I have people around me willing to hear the Good News of salvation? Do I think of myself or (do I think) of them?
2. To explain the Word of God requires constant and mature prayer, formation on the Bible, fidelity to pray in the way we are taught in the Verbum Dei as quoted before in IMVDMFa 25. Am I aware of my improvements in praying with the Word of God? What formation or help do I need to grow as disciple of Christ? (You can share about it with your spiritual director for improvement and implementation)
3. The goal of our missionary work is each person could encounter Jesus and remain united to Him. When somebody is already with Jesus, we can disappear. The goal of our missionary activity is that everybody will be a friend of Jesus and not only my friend or our friend.

Do I lead people around me to a friendship with Jesus? How to introduce Jesus to them?

FRIDAY
Acts 8:1-3.9:1-19; 22:6-16; 26:12-18

Saint Paul, from persecutor to an apostle of the Gentiles. Who could say that Saul may become Saint Paul? In the history of the Church, we have many saints who were great sinners. Nothing is impossible for God. At the same time, these saints have received God´s grace without resistances. Am I listening to God without blocking the way for Him to talk to me? Is His powerful grace transforming me?

When Saint Paul heard the voice calling him by name, he was brave enough to ask: “Who are you, Lord?” The voice was not familiar to him that´s why he asked. Many times, we can´t recognize Him talking to us but we can ask Him and He´ll clarify our doubts, our confusions, our uncertainties.

In our daily encounter with the Trinity, we are transformed. This is what Jaime Bonet called “humble conversion.” It may be a humble conversion but not insignificant. We become faithful disciples of Christ when His Word penetrates to the level of our thoughts, feelings, and inner attitudes in a way that we are more evangelical in our way of thinking, feeling, and acting. Nothing is impossible for God. We are the ones deciding to remain in an increasing openness to His grace.

Do I identify myself with Saint Paul? In what way, yes? In what way, no?
​
Saint Paul is the patron saint of Verbum Dei. Why do you think that Jaime Bonet chose him as our patron saint?

PRAYER FOR THE CONGRESS
To be held in Loeches, Spain from August 30 – September 27, 2024

Father, you who create and sustain all things with your love, we ask you to make us artisans of communion, so that as we journey towards the Congress we may know how to welcome the diversity that characterizes us as the Verbum Dei Missionary Family.

Jesus, human face of God, consecrate us to your Word so that the Congress may be prepared and carried out in profound fidelity to your voice, listening to each one of us and to the signs of the times.

Holy Spirit, you who open rivers in the desert, guide us in this time of discernment and decision, so that we may live, embody and offer our charism ever more fully, so that all the baptized may participate in the mission of Jesus entrusted to the Church.
​
Accompany us, Mary, with your loving motherly presence and intercession, so that this Congress may be a channel of hope in which God transforms us and makes all things new. Amen.

We are in the Easter Season which has started on Easter Sunday and will end on the Feast of Pentecost. During these seven weeks we are reading in the liturgy the Acts of the Apostles. 

​Saint Luke is the author of the Gospel and the Acts of Apostles. The connection of the two books is the Ascension of Jesus to heaven.  

The book is fundamentally or basically centered in the two pillars of the early Church: Peter and Paul. 

​We have five weeks up to the celebration of Pentecost, and every week we focus on some chapters from the Acts of Apostles. From April 14 to 21 we´ll read Acts 1-5 as our spiritual reading (Regulations 93). At the same time, we´ll meditate and pray some of the passages in which we can center our personal prayer and prepare the SOW we are involved in. 

MONDAY
​Jn 14:15-17 

The promise of the Holy Spirit comes true in the Acts of Apostles who is the gift poured out on them (Acts 2:33). The Holy Spirit led the apostles to believe in the Risen Lord, to love Him, to defend Him and to proclaim His salvation to all.

​Ask with humility “Come, Holy Spirit” because only You can lead us to the truth and to the friendship with Jesus. 

TUESDAY
Acts 2:14-42.
​Peter´s message

The apostles were not learned people but Peter delivered his speech with clarity and coherence. He quoted the Old Testament (Ps 16:8-11) in connection with the experience of the resurrection. It seems that he knew the Scriptures very well.  As for us, we know Jesus and the power of His resurrection through praying and living out the Word of God.

​Do I pray with the Word of God conscious that I may experience again and again the power of Jesus´ Resurrection? How is this experience of Resurrection becoming stronger in my life? 

WEDNESDAY
​Acts 2:43-47; 4:32-35.

These two passages reveal the style of life of the first Christian community. The group of believers under the guidance of the apostles and all of them are aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit among them.

The apostles were witnesses that the Risen Lord binds them together. “The exercise of fraternal love is a fruit of a truly affective and effective prayer and fruit of a living faith. It is this deepening friendship with Jesus which makes his love permeate our relationship with others” (Regulation of VDMDs 79) 

They were seeking for unity of mind and heart. “Often, we need to live in a spirit of openness and deep listening to discern the voice of the Holy Spirit, who teaches us how to love” (Regulation VDMDs 81). 

​The believers put in common all what they had materially and spiritually speaking. In Acts 2:42, it is written that the believers shared also their prayer with the apostles and they learned from them. 

THURSDAY
​Acts 3:1-10

Peter said: “Look at us. I have no money at all, but I give you what I have: in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth I order you to get up and walk.” They performed miracles but Peter was aware that Jesus was curing the lame man through him. 

Do we believe that we are channels for Jesus to reach out to many people around us? How do we open our eyes to the needs of others? Do we want to offer Jesus´ Word and Life to them? 

​If we are resurrected with Christ, we´ll desire for anybody the joyful experience of living with Him.  

FRIDAY
​Acts 3:11-4:31. 

Peter´s preaching started to be questioned by the Jewish leaders and the teacher of the Law: how did you do this? What power do you have or whose name did you use? (Acts 3:7)

Peter answered: “Through the power of the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth. Salvation is to be found through him alone; in all the world there is no one else whom God has given who can save us” (Acts 3: 12)

In this chapters there are some important points to be taken into consideration:

• The apostles defend to obey God first and for most.
• They can´t stop speaking of what they have seen and heard.
• They gathered in prayer in moments of persecution.
• They experience once again to be filled by the Holy Spirit and continue explaining God´s message with boldness. 

Do we realize in this passage the connection between prayer and preaching?  Are we taking difficulties and persecutions as part of our mission as disciples?

PRAYER FOR THE CONGRESS

“Communion, Consecration and Participation in the Mission” ​

Father, you who create and sustain all things with your love, we ask you to make us artisans of communion, so that as we journey towards the Congress we may know how to welcome the diversity that characterises us as the Verbum Dei Missionary Family. 

Jesus, human face of God, consecrate us to your Word so that the Congress may be prepared and carried out in profound fidelity to your voice, listening to each one of us and to the signs of the times. 

Holy Spirit, you who open rivers in the desert, guide us in this time of discernment and decision, so that we may live, embody and offer our charism ever more fully, so that all the baptised may participate in the mission of Jesus entrusted to the Church. 

Accompany us, Mary, with your loving motherly presence and intercession, so that this Congress may be a channel of hope in which God transforms us and makes all things new.

​Amen.