You all will be My martyrs.

WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
HE IS THE THIRD PERSON OF THE BLESSED TRINITY. HE IS THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. THE LORD AND GIVER OF ABUNDANT LIFE. HE IS OUR ADVOCATE. THE VOICE THAT SPEAKS IN COURT FOR US. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE GREAT FRIEND THAT IS CLOSER TO US THAN OUR GARMENT.

"Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning." (John 15: 26....16: 4).

"And you also will testify..."
What does this mean for you and for me? Testify is another word for witness which comes from the Greek word MARTYR. Jesus is saying that in small ways and big ways, we shall be martyrs for Him every day.

“I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.”

Do not be frightened of being a martyr for Jesus in your work, home, church and public places. This is why Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will help us to bear witness to Him. Without the Holy Spirit, no one can be a martyr for Jesus.

Example of those who witnessed to Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit after Pentecost:
Peter, John, Stephen, Barnabas, James. These saints are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.

In today's first Reading from Acts 16: 11 - 15, a wealthy business woman of Philippi named Lydia witnessed to Jesus after she was baptized by St Paul.

The Cross and Martyrdom are intrinsic to the very essence of Christianity. "It was ordained that the Christ should suffer and rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory." (Luke 24: 46, 26). So must we. 

5. 22. “The Magnificat is Our Lady’s Prayer of thanks. She can help us to love Jesus best; she is the one who can show us the shortest way to Jesus. Mary was the one whose intercession led Jesus to work the first miracle. ‘They have no wine,’ she said to Jesus. ‘Do whatever he tells you,’ she said to the servants."  (Mother St Teresa of Kolkata).

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com