Daily Reflection
of Creighton University's Online Ministries
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May 19th, 2014
by
Marcia Shadle Cusic
School of Medicine
Click here for a photo of and information on this writer.

Monday in the Fifth Week of Easter
[285] Acts 14:5-18
Psalm 115:1-2, 3-4, 15-16
John 14:21-26

 

In the first reading today we begin to recognize the power that faith can have in our lives; to heal, to direct us, to help us cope, to face challenges and to rejoice.  Paul's presence with the crippled man shares the importance of truly being present to another and through our presence see another's struggles or in this case see the faith of another- as the crippled man is told "Stand up straight on your feet."  While Paul saw the faith in this man and called forth his faith, not all in the crowd understood that Paul's "healing of another" came through God and not Paul, the human man. The Psalms today then address this issue.  "Not to us, O Lord, but to your name give the glory."

Many times, in my role as the Chaplain for Creighton's School of Medicine I am thanked for counseling another or for taking action for someone. The Responsorial Psalm is a direct reminder, to me, that while we have all been given gifts and opportunities to use our gifts we need to be mindful of where these gifts originated from: God.  It can be a very humbling experience to know that you have had a positive impact on someone's life and to recognize that God has worked through you. Some of my greatest faith experiences have been in seeing the impact that someone has had on another and then to hear them verbally express that it was through the grace of God, or due to the gifts given to them by God, that allowed them to impact another.

Finally, in the Gospel today we begin to contemplate the Trinity.  The Apostles and others of that time came to know Jesus as a person who instructed them on the messages from God, whom they already had a relationship with as members of the Jewish faith.  For a few short years they were blessed to be able to watch and listen to the Son of God as Jesus modeled love, charity, forgiveness and had numerous discussions about faith.  As we approach Pentecost we are now being introduced to the Holy Spirit - the spirit of God, which we feel within.  As Christians, we are called to be witnesses of the Holy Spirit, to live our lives based the words and examples of Jesus and acknowledge our faith in God, whose Spirit works through us. 

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