Wednesday | April 24, 2024
Acts 13:3:
Then, completing their fasting and prayer, they laid hands on them and sent them off.
St. Fidelis of Sigmaringen
Covered in Prayer
In commissioning Barnabas and Saul, the fledgling Church is on the verge of some of her most dynamic growth. These two missionaries are prepared not just by their fellow disciples but “sent forth by the Holy Spirit” (v. 4). They laid the groundwork with fasting and prayer.
Fifteen centuries later in Switzerland, Fidelis of Sigmaringen offers a similar example. He left a career in law to become a Capuchin Franciscan priest, displaying a heart for the poor and vulnerable. He bravely stepped forward at a contentious time in the Church, appealing to those who had left the Church. His reputation for deep prayer and unflagging zeal inspired others. He urged himself on, frequently saying, “Woe to me if I should prove myself but a halfhearted soldier in the service of my thorn-crowned Captain.”
What could the Holy Spirit accomplish if we imitate these evangelists’ prayers, enthusiasm and joy in our workplaces, neighborhoods and faith communities?
- Steve Pable
