Frederick, Maryland, United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Monday, 28 April 2014 - Catholic Meditations

Frederick, Maryland, United States - Daily Mass Reading & Meditation for Monday, 28 April 2014 - Catholic Meditations

Meditations: Acts 4: 23 Being let go, they came to their own company, and reported all that the chief priests and the elders had said to them. 24 When they heard it, they lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, “O Lord, you are God, who made the heaven, the earth, the sea, and all that is in them; 25 who by the mouth of your servant, David, said,

‘Why do the nations rage,

    and the peoples plot a vain thing?

26 The kings of the earth take a stand,

    and the rulers take council together,

    against the Lord, and against his Christ.’[a][b]

27 “For truly, in this city against your holy servant, Jesus, whom you anointed, both Herod and Pontius Pilate, with the Gentiles and the people of Israel, were gathered together 28 to do whatever your hand and your council foreordained to happen. 29 Now, Lord, look at their threats, and grant to your servants to speak your word with all boldness, 30 while you stretch out your hand to heal; and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of your holy Servant Jesus.”

31 When they had prayed, the place was shaken where they were gathered together. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and they spoke the word of God with boldness.

Footnotes:

a. Acts 4:26 Christ (Greek) and Messiah (Hebrew) both mean Anointed One.

b. Acts 4:26 Psalm 2:1-2

Saint Peter Chanel, Priest and Martyr

As they prayed, the place where they were gathered shook, and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit. (Acts 4:31)

Did you know that sand dunes can sing?

It’s true! Sand dunes around the world have been recorded making up to nine different notes in several frequencies. Sometimes, the sound can be such a loud boom that it is heard up to six miles away and can cause avalanches! Scientists don’t know exactly how the dunes sing, but most agree that the grains of sand must somehow move together at the same frequency to form vibrations that then synchronize to become a musical note.

In a way, we are a lot like those grains of sand. God wants to guide us along his special frequency so that we can sing his praises together and start “avalanches” of grace that change our environment.

Who me? Yes, you! How can God do anything significant through me? You may feel as insignificant as a grain of sand, but you can make a big difference.

Look at today’s story of Nicodemus as an example. He was one of the Pharisees, and he was surrounded by many other Pharisees who would not accept all the signs pointing to the fact that Jesus was the Messiah. But Nicodemus was moved by the Spirit to seek Jesus out. Many of the Pharisees around him refused to move to the frequency of the Spirit, but not this man. He let the music move him. He sought out the source of the vibrations in his heart. And as a result, he became one of the many grains of sand capable of singing and announcing the good news of the gospel.

Remember that God can move the smallest particles of sand and tune them to his own special frequency. If he can use these little pieces of rock to sing his praises, he most certainly can make you into an instrument that will carry his name to the ends of the earth!

Today, think of something that is blocking the Spirit’s frequency in your life. How can you make yourself more tuned in to his movements?

“Lord, you can make beautiful music out of me. Take me, form me, and teach me to move with your Spirit so that I can sing your praises.” Amen.

Psalm 2:1 Why do the nations rage,

    and the peoples plot a vain thing?

2 The kings of the earth take a stand,

    and the rulers take counsel together,

    against Yahweh, and against his Anointed,[a] saying,

3 “Let’s break their bonds apart,

    and cast their cords from us.”

4 He who sits in the heavens will laugh.

    The Lord[b] will have them in derision.

5 Then he will speak to them in his anger,

    and terrify them in his wrath:

6 “Yet I have set my King on my holy hill of Zion.”

7     I will tell of the decree.

Yahweh said to me, “You are my son.

    Today I have become your father.

8 Ask of me, and I will give the nations for your inheritance,

    the uttermost parts of the earth for your possession.

9 You shall break them with a rod of iron.

    You shall dash them in pieces like a potter’s vessel.”

Footnotes:

a. Psalm 2:2 The word “Anointed” is the same as the word for “Messiah” or “Christ”

b. Psalm 2:4 The word translated “Lord” is “Adonai.”

John 3:1 Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. 2 The same came to him by night, and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do, unless God is with him.”

3 Jesus answered him, “Most certainly, I tell you, unless one is born anew,[a] he can’t see God’s Kingdom.”

4 Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?”

5 Jesus answered, “Most certainly I tell you, unless one is born of water and spirit, he can’t enter into God’s Kingdom! 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh. That which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Don’t marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born anew.’ 8 The wind[b] blows where it wants to, and you hear its sound, but don’t know where it comes from and where it is going. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit.”

Footnotes:

a. John 3:3 The word translated “anew” here and in John 3:7 (anothen) also means “again” and “from above”.

b. John 3:8 The same Greek word (pneuma) means wind, breath, and spirit.

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