Lets Pray. Gracious God, we thank you for the gift of
your holy word. May it be a lantern to our feet, a light upon our paths, and a
strength to our lives. Take us and use us to love and serve all people in the
power of the holy spirit and in the name of your Son, Jesus Christ our
Lord..... Amen
Friends, today’s reflection on the given passage demands us to consider the following
questions. In our context are women
and children safe? As a theological community what is our response towards the
untoward incidents that are taking place every day? Is there a hope and
confidence for our women and children? What are the fear factors we come across
that place us in hopeless contexts?
In the
light of these questions the following issues from the text are important.
Firstly, the assurance that is given by our Lord saying “you will be my
witnesses unto the ends of the earth.” The promise of the presence of Jesus in
our day to day life. Those two men with white robes put forth the challenges of
Jesus’ ascension. The given text opens the window to understand the continuing
works of Jesus.
A time as
this, children are sexually abused and brutally killed; women, beyond their age
are under great threat. Frequently, we observe that women are being raped and find no solutions at all. Ecological issues such as global warming, scarcity of water,
which have resulted in drinking water mafia and corruption and partiality in every sphere, is taking a big toll.
Fear is the
biggest threat to the people who want to live a peaceful life. We are
living in the time of uncertainty and hopelessness. Even in the Church and through
the Church spiritual values are depleting.
Looking at
the given text for the reflection. The fear factor might be the same but the
context differs.
Verse 8, in
the given text, reveals that instead of the political power which had once been
the object of the disciples ambitions, a greater power is waiting for the
disciples. When the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples, Jesus answered them
that they would be vested with heavenly power, that power by which their mighty works would be accomplished and their preaching would be made effective. As
Jesus had been appointed at his baptism with the Holy Spirit and power, so his
followers were now to be similarly, anointed and enabled to carry on his work.
This work would be a work of witness bearing - a theme which is prominent in
the Apostolic preaching throughout Acts.
In the Old
Testament Prophet Isaiah had called the people of Israel to be God's witnesses
in the world. (Isa. 43:10; 44:8). The
task Israel had not fulfilled was taken on by Jesus, the perfect servant of the
Lord, and shared by him with his disciples. The close relation between God's
call to Israel, "You are my witnesses" and the risen Lord's
commission to his Apostles, "You will be my witnesses', can be appreciated
the more we consider the implications of Paul's quotation.
The passage
sets out clearly what the church is to be doing until Jesus returns. Through a
command-promise, Jesus tells his disciples of the resources, content and scope
of their primary task. The essential resource is God the Holy Spirit, who will
come on them at Pentecost
Jesus says to be his witnesses.
The apostles, as eyewitnesses of the saving events, were witnesses in a unique
sense. But all those who will believe
and appropriate the truth of their testimony also qualify as witnesses.
So, as a theological community, in our
theological journey, are we not
challenged to address the threatening
issues of the context?
Yes. As a called community we are
expected to be the witnesses of our Lord Jesus. As the disciples were challenged
in their context we are also compelled to be witnesses in the present
disturbed situation.
May the risen Lord
continue to strengthen us to be his witnesses... Amen
Victor Prabhakar, MTh I
Preached
on Monday June 16, 2014 in the Ziegenbalg chapel.
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