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Gospel: Luke 9:7-9
Herod the tetrarch heard about all that was happening,
and he was greatly perplexed because some were saying,
“John has been raised from the dead”;
others were saying, “Elijah has appeared”;
still others, “One of the ancient prophets has arisen.”
But Herod said, “John I beheaded.
Who then is this about whom I hear such things?”
And he kept trying to see him.
The Gospel of the Lord.
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The fact that King Herod remains haunted by the death of John the Baptist is a sign that Jesus’ public ministry is working.
The Lord has given his authority to the Twelve Apostles, not only to not only preach, but also to cast out demons and cure diseases of every kind.
Hope in a different king is spreading.
This stage in the development of the Church reminds us that preaching and healing go hand in hand; we cannot simply speak about the kingdom of God. We must also back our words up with action.
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For example, I ran a bible study in a prison in Rome for three years. Week after week, I’d teach a handful of inmates about our Christian faith.
One day, one of the inmates complained about being cold, so I brought him a beanie to cover his head. When one of the guards noticed, he asked me why I’d do such a thing,
I responded simply, “How can you believe in God with a cold head?”
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Much like the Apostles who not only spoke about the kingdom of God, but also did something about it, our faith must always be supported by action. As Saint James reminds us, “Faith without works is dead.”
What might it look like to put our faith into practice today?
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Image credits: (1) Be Still… (2) The Catholic Miscellaney (3) QuoteFancy