DAILY REFLECTION

Liturgical reading are available here.

Chapters 9-11 of the Acts of the Apostles let the reader pause for a moment. It is a brief period after the death of Stephen and before the universal mission to the whole world, which will be exemplified in the person of Paul. Now, during this break, Peter, the head of the Twelve comes up again, while visiting local communities in Judea, Galilee, and Samaria and even taking care of individuals (healing of Aeneas, raising of Tabitha). Individual members also know each other and care.

This is an important lesson before the time of the growth. Even the large-scale church cannot exist without the underlying personal dimension. The communion with Christ that people strive for is expressed and lived in the communion with brothers and sisters, who together are the body of Christ – the Church.

In order to remain faithful to the word of Christ, we will always have to examine ourselves in this regard: whoever does not love a brother whom he has seen cannot love God whom he has not seen (1 John 4:20).