Guidelines Sheet - Easter Series: 14-21 April, 2024

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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.  

Key themes in the Acts of the Apostles: ​

• The power of the Holy Spirit given to human beings. The Book of Acts is mainly about the coming of the Holy Spirit and the power of the Spirit in the lives of believers. First, the Holy Spirit reveals God´s will to the believers so that they could preach the Gospel and argue from the Scriptures that Jesus was the Messiah. Secondly, The Holy Spirit would then confirm these words through healing, miracles, and prophetic insights. 
• The growth of the early church, the conversion of Paul and other conversions, the life in the Christian community and the spread of the gospel to the Gentiles. God´s history of salvation continues through the action of the Holy Spirit who leads, guides, and empowers the believers to partake in Jesus’ ongoing mission to bring His salvation to the ends of the earth. 
• The persecution faced by early Christians. Some significant problems: confrontations with Gentiles, conflicts between Jews and Gentiles, trials before Jews and Romans and other hardships in the ministry. The apostles and other believers were faithful followers of Jesus up to the point of giving their lives as Jesus did. 

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. 

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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. 

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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? 

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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. 

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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.  

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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?

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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.