Day 5: Help One Another
Intention
To help each other to see God at work
Scripture
In those days Mary set out and went with haste to a Judean town in the hill country, where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb. And Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit and exclaimed with a loud cry, ‘Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. And why has this happened to me, that the mother of my Lord comes to me? For as soon as I heard the sound of your greeting, the child in my womb leapt for joy. And blessed is she who believed that there would be a fulfilment of what was spoken to her by the Lord.’
— Luke 1:39-45
Reflection
When Mary received the life-changing news that she was pregnant with the Son of God, the angel Gabriel gave her some good advice. He told her that nothing is impossible to God, and that her cousin Elizabeth, although advanced in age, was also expecting her first baby.
So, Mary went “as quickly as she could” to visit Elizabeth, even though the journey was probably difficult. It is very natural for two women who are pregnant for the first time to get together for mutual support. Because of the unusual circumstances, and because these two mothers understood that God was at work in their lives, they were able to minister to one another as sisters in faith as well.
God wants to communicate with each of us and give us the light we need to walk in His way. In prayer and pondering the scriptures, the Lord can speak directly to your heart and mind, but the message we may hear needs confirmation from the wise and faithful people He sends into our lives. All alone, we could be mistaken or misunderstand; but the same Spirit working in our sisters and brothers can help confirm what is from God and what is not.
It is a beautiful experience when the promptings of the Spirit we have received are echoed in the words of our fellow believers.
Who are the wise and faithful people in your life who help you discern God’s ways? Are you a true friend in Christ who helps others hear and see His presence and action? Together as a Christian community, we are called to encourage one another to “believe that the promise of the Lord will be fulfilled”.
Video
Prayer
Loving God, I praise You as the source of true wisdom and thank You for inviting me to drink at this sweet source. May I open my heart and mind to the gift of the Holy Spirit to help me understand my life and know Your wonderful will for me. I know that the renewal and revival in faith that I earnestly pray for my country must start with my willingness to let Christ live in me.
Come Holy Spirit, teach me to listen to Your voice: and to help and be helped by my sisters and brothers in faith to hear it more clearly and follow it more dearly every day.
Author Bio
Michael Joseph McKenna was ordained and installed as Eighth Bishop of Bathurst on 26 June 2009. Bishop Michael is the Chair of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference’s Commission for Christian Unity and Inter-religious Relations. On 19 May 2020, Pope Francis appointed Bishop McKenna to the Pontifical Council for Inter-religious Dialogue. In 2021 the Bishop was also appointed to the International Anglican-Roman Catholic Commission for Unity and Mission.
Prayer Points for 31 Days of Prayer & Fasting for Revival
- To worship Jesus and give extravagant praise to God. Hebrews 12:28-29
- Pray that the Lamb who was slain might receive the reward for His suffering. Revelation 5:6-14
- Pray for Revival for Australia and for millions to find Christ. Isaiah 64:1-2
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