In today's first reading, Acts 11: 19-26, Barnabas was sent to Antioch. "When he arrived and saw the grace of God, he rejoiced and encouraged them all to remain faithful to the Lord in firmness of heart, or he was a good man, filled with the Holy Spirit and faith." Barnabas' faith was an active faith, not just a creed that he recited in formal prayer. He "saw the grace of God" working among the disciples of Antioch! Do I walk through my day as a person of faith? Do I see grace at work in my life, in the life of those with whom I minister, in my co-workers, in the circumstances of my day?
As I was in prayer this evening, I realized that I want my life to be free of ambiguities and of problems, obvious when I complain about this or that! My grumbling about a problem is no different from the Israelites in the desert complaining about the manna that fell from heaven or the lack of water. When I am in a grumbling mood, where is my faith and trust in the Lord? And, moreover, if there are no problems in my life, no ambiguities, how do I, in the first place, develop trust in the Lord?
Lord, I pray for the grace to live from faith! I ask that my eyes be opened to "the grace of God" at work in those with whom I live and work and play! I pray to be "filled with the Holy Spirit and faith," as was Barnabas. And I ask to be forgiven for wanting no problems or ambiguities in my life.
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