Denver Catholic

CO N V I C TI O N O F T H E P OW E R A N D P R I M AC Y O F T H E G O S P E L The signs of the Kingdom of God are that the blind can see, the lame are healed, prisoners are set free, and people are delivered from the power of evil spirits. Jesus perform- ing these miracles is a historical fact, but people often ask: "Why aren't they happening now?" The reality is that people are being healed, set free from the captivity of sin and delivered from evil spirits through the ministry of the Church. As a Church, we are called to be on mission and convinced of the power of the Gospel and Jesus Christ. But too many of us have accepted the worldly idea that God does not do miracles anymore. We must recapture a biblical worldview that sees everything through the eyes of Scripture and most especially through the eyes of our Father who has created us for himself. The Gospel is powerful, and God works miracles. J OY FU L , CO U N T E R CU LT U R A L W IT N E S S The final mark of an apostolic mindset is joy in the face of opposition. Jesus reminded his disciples that we will be hated and experience persecution just as he did (Jn 16:18-21). The natural reaction to being persecuted is to question one's actions and to feel shame. But when the apostles were questioned about preaching the Gospel, they resolutely declared, "We must obey God rather than men" (Acts 5:29). The authorities then had them whipped and commanded them to not preach in the name of Jesus before releasing them. Shockingly, their response was to rejoice that they were counted worthy to suffer dishonor for the name of Jesus (Acts 5:41). With an apostolic mindset we are willing to suffer for the Gospel, and crucially, we receive the grace to suffer with joy because our suffering has meaning and a higher purpose. The post-Christian society, on the other hand, is consumed with stress and worry because it believes there is no God who saves us and that we can save ourselves if we work hard enough. Being a child of God the Father is freeing, not a sen- tence of endless work. Those who have experienced his provision know "the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding" (Phil 4:7), and this peace and joy are evi- dent when one looks at the radiant faces and lives of the saints. The deep, abiding joy that saints like Gianna Molla or John Paul II exuded comes from being in an intimate relationship with the three persons of the Trinity. This joy also causes people to ask where it comes from and attracts people to the Lord. As we continue the path of moving toward an apostolic, missionary archdiocese, let us pray for a renewal of an apostolic mindset so that we can serve as a light to those in darkness. May God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit renew our minds and pour out upon us the graces that we need for these times, which he eternally planned for us to live in. 303.468.9885 • TheCatholicFoundation.com Call us to learn more Deacon Steve Stemper Lisa Kukura Joshua Gideon " As each one has received a gift, use it to serve one another as good stewards of God's varied grace. 1 Peter 4:10 What is The Catholic Foundation? An experienced team serving thousands of people to: • Help establish wills while aligning with Catholic values • Help charitable gifts grow in morally and responsible ways • While…helping to grow the Kingdom of God and transforming lives along the way DENVER CATHOLIC | FEBRUARY 2022

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