“By what power or by what name have you done this?” Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, answered them
… it was in the name of Jesus Christ … (Acts 4: 7-10)
“By what power and in whose name have people of your stripe done this?” Peter had the answer: “It was done in the name of Jesus Christ.”
By what power did the apostles take in so many fish that they could not haul the net in? John had the answer: “It is the Lord.”
It is the Lord, Jesus Christ, who became incarnate, lived among us, died, and rose from the dead. The stone rejected by the builders has become the cornerstone of the church. It is the Lord, Jesus Christ, who is our power and our glory.
Let us reflect on every little gift we enjoy, every moment of this day. What is the power that makes it all possible? “It is the Lord.”
Let us reflect on the good choices we have made. What is the power that makes it possible? “It is the Lord.”
Let us reflect on the poor choices we have made. What is the power that makes it possible to seek forgiveness? “It is the Lord.”
Each day presents us with such a variety of occasions in which to encounter people. As Christians, we believe that we are not alone in these encounters. If we were alone, we might fish all night and catch nothing.
But the power of God is with us. Let us remember today to expect great things of our God–and to be grateful.
Sr. Patricia Marie Landin, SSMO