assistance please
"Mary called the Magdalene, from whom seven devils had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others...were assisting them out of their means." —Luke 8:2-3
Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Susanna, and many others assisted Jesus and the apostles out of their means. Many of you have assisted the Church out of your means. Many have assisted Presentation Ministries and One Bread, One Body out of your means.
Although the Church greatly needs assistance, and assistance can be a supernatural gift of the Spirit (1 Cor 12:28), the charism and ministry of assisting others out of our means is often unknown and unappreciated. Have you ever prayed for the spiritual gift of assisting others? Did you know that there was such a gift?
Although we may not often think of the gift of assistance, the Lord values it highly. On the morning of His resurrection, the risen Lord came first to one of His assistants, Mary Magdalene (Jn 20:14ff). The Lord may have been making a statement about the importance of assisting Him and His people.
Ask the Lord to make you like Mary Magdalene. Assist Jesus and the Church financially. Like Mary Magdalene, assist Jesus, even by suffering with Him at the foot of His cross (Jn 19:25). Like Mary Magdalene, throw yourself at the feet of the risen Christ. Assistance is so important because assistance is love. Assistance, please.
Prayer: Father, may I die to self to assist Your people.
Promise: "Fight the good fight of faith. Take firm hold on the everlasting life to which you were called when, in the presence of many witnesses, you made your noble profession of faith." —1 Tm 6:12
Praise: Tim repented of fornication and expressed it by moving out of his girlfriend's house and giving his life to Jesus.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our leaflet, Seek the Gifts of the Spirit, or our series of four tapes on Gifts of the Spirit starting with audio AV 3A-1 or video V-3A.)
Rescript: †Most Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Auxiliary Bishop, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, March 18, 2015
The Nihil Obstat ("Permission to Publish") is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have granted the Nihil Obstat agree with the contents, opinions, or statements expressed.