Saint Athanasius, Bishop, Doctor
Tuesday of the 4th week of Eastertide
First reading – Acts 11:19-26
“for he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith”. This is the description about Barnabas in the Book of the Acts of the Apostles. He was a good man. He was a good man who is filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith. These three components are very important in the life of testimony. Because we read after this description about Barnabas that, “And a large number of people were won over to the Lord”. This is in the sense that because of what Barnabas is, a large number of people were won over to the Lord. So, these qualities, being a good person, being filled with the Holy Spirit and being filled with faith, caused this effective mission. It could be that these qualities can exist alone. One can be a good person but without faith. One can have faith but not open to Holy Spirit. One can have the Holy Spirit but not faith. So, it’s important to have these three qualities together to give a true witness which could win people over to the Lord. Let’s reflect: Do my witness include being good, being filled with the Holy Spirit and with faith?
Tuesday 2 May
