It is 19th October 2019. We celebrate the memorial of Saints John, Isaac Jogues and companions, martyrs Saint Paul of the Cross, priest. The readings are from Romans 4:13, 16-18; and the Gospel from Luke 12:9-12. Faith is a free gift to those whom God loves. Faith is nothing but to know, love and serve God. It is a total surrender in every move of our life. True faith makes us to believe and accept God as the meaning of our entire life. In the first reading, St. Paul presents us with the example of Abraham who was justified by faith not by observance of law. Faith, for him, is trust or confidence in God that God would do it anyway even if human reason cannot grasp it. Faith offers the inner courage to trust in the promises of God not the premises of a logical thinking. Faith leads us closer to God, to love God and grow in grace. The Church through its teaching constantly provides, strengthens and prepares us to be the persons God wants us to be. The responsorial Psalm praises, “The Lord remembers his covenant for ever.” (Ps.104:8). Being the witness of faith means to take a clear stand and never be afraid of what and for whom we stand for. The Gospel invites us to be the witnesses of Jesus even in a hostile and resisting environment. Jesus encourages all the missionary disciples to have courage and confidence during the time of persecution. The Lord is with us with His experience of victory over evil and satanic forces. His presence is the surety no other security or immunity is promise by Him. Without the power and the acknowledgement of the presence of the Holy Spirit in our missionary endeavours, we cannot be renewed, and our evangelisation would remain incomplete. We all need the courageous testimony of our faith in Jesus and His message of love and forgiveness. There is always possibility of conversion and forgiveness with the Holy Spirit even if we have difficulty in accepting Jesus in freedom. How can we be missionary disciples by rejecting the Spirit, who is the very source and agent of the forgiveness, repentance and renewal of our life? God enjoys the absolute freedom through the movement of the Holy Spirit to grant forgiveness of sins and salvation to the hearts known to God alone. “The welcoming or the rejection of the Spirit of God is a mysterious relationship of our conscience and our freedom with God; our hearts are fully scrutable only by God and in God.” Saint John Paul II encourages the Church in his encyclical letter Redemtoris Missio in No.83, “Renewed missionary commitment renews the Church, revitalises faith and Christian identity and offers fresh enthusiasm and new incentive. Faith is strengthened when it is given to others! It is in commitment to the Church’s universal mission that the new evangelisation of Christian peoples will find inspiration and Support.” May we never tired of being witnesses of our faith in all circumstances especially the challenging ones. May you have good day. May God bless you.