Power to Witness
“For the Souls in Purgatory – Eternal rest grant unto them O Lord”
Acts 1:8
“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
The grace to recognize and use my spiritual gifts for the building up of the Body.
Reflection
There is a quiet revolution hidden in this single verse. Jesus does not say, “You will try your best,” or “You will figure it out.” He says, you will receive power. The Greek word is dynamis — the same root from which we get “dynamite.” This is not a polite nudge. It is a transforming force, given freely, poured out on ordinary people who had already proven they were capable of fear, doubt, and failure.
Notice, too, that Jesus links the gift of the Spirit directly to witness. The power is not given for personal comfort or private experience. It is given so that — so that you will be my witnesses. The Spirit’s gifts are never just for you. They are given through you, for others. Every charism — whether it is teaching, healing, hospitality, prophecy, or mercy — is a form of testimony. When you use your gifts, you are saying, God is real, and God is here.
The disciples received this promise while still standing in Jerusalem — their own backyard, the place of their greatest wounds. And yet the Spirit would carry them outward: to Judea, to Samaria, to the very ends of the earth. The pattern matters. Mission begins where you are. The gifts you carry are not meant for some future, more dramatic version of your life. They are needed right now, in your home, your workplace, your parish, your neighborhood.
Today, ask yourself honestly: What has the Spirit already given me? Not what you wish you had. Not what someone else seems to have. What gifts, however small or unpolished, are already alive in you — waiting to be offered?
The ends of the earth begin at your front door.
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