Power for the Mission: Receiving What We Share
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Acts 1:4-8
While he was with them, he charged them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father about which you have heard me speak; for John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the holy Spirit. When they had gathered together they asked him, Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel? He answered them, It is not for you to know the times or seasons that the Father has established by his own authority. But you will receive power when the holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.
Grace Prayed For
Based on this passage, we are prompted to pray for the grace of patient, intimate obedience—the grace to wait for the Lord’s timing, to receive the power of the Holy Spirit with an open and trusting heart, and to be transformed from one who merely does mission into one who is a living witness to Christ’s love.
Reflection
The mission begins not with a sprint, but with a command to wait.
This is, perhaps, the most difficult and intimate act of obedience. The apostles, fresh from the resurrection, are energized and ready to do something. They stand with the Risen Lord, and their minds are still on their plans: “Lord, are you at this time going to restore the kingdom to Israel?” They want to see the results. They want to be part of the visible victory.
And Jesus, in His infinite love, gently redirects them from their mission to the Father’s mission. “It is not for you to know…” This is the call to intimacy, the call to trust. It’s an invitation to let go of our own blueprints for God’s kingdom and simply place our hands in His.
The fruit of this intimate, obedient waiting is the promise: the Holy Spirit.
Jesus doesn’t send them out with a 10-step plan, a new set of laws, or a political agenda. He sends them His very self, the “power” of the Holy Spirit. This power is the intimate, Trinitarian love of God. It is the love of the Father for the Son, breathed out upon us.
This is the core of our theme. We cannot share a love we have not first received. We cannot give what we do not possess. Our mission to “share and receive in all of our encounters” is impossible if we try to do it on our own strength. We will burn out, grow resentful, or make the mission about us.
But when we wait in obedient prayer, when we sit with the Father, Son, and Spirit, we are “baptized with the holy Spirit.” We are filled with the very love we are called to give away.
Then, and only then, does the mission flow naturally as the fruit of that intimacy. Notice Jesus’s final word: “you will be my witnesses.” He doesn’t say, “you will be my lawyers, my debaters, or my salespeople.” A witness is simply one who testifies to what they have personally seen, heard, and experienced.
Our mission is not to convince the world, but to show the world how we have been loved by God. The “power” of the Spirit is what allows that intimate love to shine forth from us, transforming every encounter—from our “Jerusalem” (our homes) to the “ends of the earth” (the stranger in the grocery store)—into an opportunity to both share and receive His grace.
Daily Evangelization and Baptismal Mission
Fulfilling Your Mission
This passage shows that evangelization is the fruit of being a witness to the love you’ve received. Here are ways to proclaim that message:
- Share Your “Jesus Story.” The most powerful witness is your personal testimony. It’s not an argument; it’s a story, and no one can argue with your experience. When someone is struggling, you can say, “I know how hard that is. I remember a time I felt completely lost, and what changed things for me was when I truly encountered Jesus’s peace in prayer. It didn’t solve my problem overnight, but it gave me a strength I didn’t have before.”
- Be a “Witness” to Hope. In a world filled with cynicism and complaint, be the one who speaks hope. This is part of “partnering with Jesus to restore all of God’s creation.” When others are gossiping, gently change the subject or offer a word of understanding for the person being discussed. When someone shares bad news, don’t just console them; be a witness to the ultimate hope you have in the Resurrection.
- Practice the Ministry of Presence. The command to “wait” also applies to our encounters. Often, the most loving thing we can do is simply be with someone in their joy or their pain, without feeling the need to “fix” them. This reflects the patient, intimate love of God. By simply listening, you receive them as they are, which allows you to share the unconditional love of Christ.
- Connect Your Actions to Your “Why.” Your Baptismal mission is fulfilled when your daily life points back to Christ. When someone thanks you for your kindness, your patience, or your service, don’t just say “you’re welcome.” Let the Spirit speak. A simple, “I’m just so grateful for what Jesus has done in my life, and I want to share that peace with others,” connects your obedient action (mission) back to its source (intimacy).
When Time Allows Reflect on the Posts in Library and Musings
Sharing
Jesus last words on Earth were to his disciples, can be found in Matthew Chap 28 when Jesus told his disciples, “Then Jesus approached and said to them, “All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age.”
Jesus calls all of us to share in his redemptive mission here on Earth. I would ask you to share this Scripture reflection with your family, your friends and your acquaintances, and then share it with a couple of individuals that you may may not be comfortable sharing with, keeping in mind always the words of Jesus, And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age
Author was assisted by AI in the drafting of this Post