UNUSUAL KINDNESS - UNITY OCTAVE DAY 8

Saturday - January 25, 2020

CALL: GENEROSITY - RECEIVING AND GIVING 

The WORD says...

Acts 28: 8-10.

“The father of Publius lay sick in bed with fever and dysentery. Paul visited him and cured him by praying and putting his hands on him. After this happened, the rest of the people on the island who had diseases also came and were cured. They bestowed many honours on us, and when we were about to sail, they put on board all the provisions we needed”

Let us PRAY...

God, giver of life,

we thank You for the gift of  Your compassionate 

love which soothes and strengthens us.

We pray that our churches

may be always open to receive Your gifts 

from one another.

Grant us a spirit of generosity to all

as we journey together in the Path of Christian unity.

We ask this in the name of Your Son 

who reigns with You and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Let us REFLECT...

·      Have you ever received a gift from someone from whom you found it difficult to receive? What did you do with the gift?

·      How does your church receive from other Christian traditions? 

·      How does your church receive from people of other faiths and none?

What to DO...

Global: 

Find out how the generosity of churches has made such a difference to communities across the world through the works of charity.

Local: 
Identify your needs as a church or churches / communities/ groups and consider who you could approach to reach out in charity.  

Personal: 

Ask someone to help you with an outstanding task or need you have... experience the situation of being in need!

[courtesy: www.ctbi.org.uk/weekofprayer]

A Journey of Conversion

THE WORD AND THE FEAST

January 25, 2020: The Conversion of St. Paul

Acts 22: 3-16; Mark 16: 15-18

The conversion of St. Paul marks a the very first twist in the tale after the Risen Lord began to make a difference in history! Hidden life, persecution and private practice of Christ-inspired faith life was suddenly taken to the public domain with St. Paul getting into the bandwagon. A passionate attachment to Christ was growing into a Charismatic challenge! We celebrate this feast today and it fills us with great joy!

Some thoughts from the Word on this feast:

1. Conversion is a life Journey: We need this grace of conversion, which the Lord inspires within us. Yes, conversion comes from within - though we see the dramatic events that accompany the conversion of Paul, they are only external signs of something that was happening within him, at the core of his being.

2. Conversion begins with a Bolt: We seem to be going in great pace with our life, when suddenly strikes a bolt. We call that a misfortune, a shock or a setback. But we need to be conscious of the fact that these experiences are messages, invitations for a transformation we need to effect within us.

3. Conversion definitely involves falling to the ground: Unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground, it will not bear fruit. When Saul fell from his horse to the ground, he rose as Paul, enquiring 'who are you Lord'! And from then his life changed...for no longer did he live, Christ lived in him.

4. Conversion is fundamentally a new vision: Nothing of Saul changed...he was the same determined, stubborn, hardliner. But his vision had changed. And that changed everything else. When he got back his sight, he did not only see again, but his vision was totally new! He now saw everything from the point of view of Christ. That is the conversion expected of us: to see everything as Christ does - that is the journey you and I, are called to make, a journey of conversion.