As we enter the period of the Apostles' Fast, we're reminded of the great commission given to the disciples by our Lord Jesus Christ before His ascension. In Matthew 28:19-20, our Lord commands the disciples to go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything He has commanded. This great commission is the foundation of the Church's mission and the guiding principle for the Apostles' ministry.
The Apostles' Fast is a time for us to reflect on our own role in this mission. Just as the disciples were called to spread the message of Christ, we're also called to be witnesses of His love and teachings in our daily lives. We're to follow in the footsteps of the Apostles, who, despite facing numerous challenges and persecutions, remained faithful to their calling and continued to preach the Gospel to all nations.
In Acts 1:14, we see the disciples gathered in the upper room, praying and waiting for the promise of the Holy Spirit. This period of waiting and prayer is a model for our own spiritual preparation during the Apostles' Fast. We're to use this time to intensify our prayers, to seek a deeper connection with God, and to prepare ourselves for the challenges of witnessing to the world.
St. Paul, in his letter to the Romans, writes, 'I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service' (Romans 12:1). This call to present our bodies as a living sacrifice is a reminder that our spiritual journey is not just about our inner lives, but also about our outward actions. We're to use our bodies to serve God and to serve others, just as the Apostles used their lives to spread the message of Christ.
As we walk in the footsteps of the Apostles during this fast, let's remember the words of St. Peter, who writes, 'But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light' (1 Peter 2:9). We're a chosen people, called to proclaim the praises of God and to shine as lights in a world filled with darkness.
May the prayers of the Apostles and the blessings of the Holy Spirit be with us during this period of fasting and spiritual reflection. May we emerge from this fast renewed in our commitment to the teachings of the Apostles and empowered to witness to the world the love and salvation of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Let us ask God to give us the strength to follow the example of the Apostles, to be faithful to our calling, and to use our lives to spread the message of Christ to all nations.