It is 21st April 2018. We celebrate the memorial of St. Anselm, Bishop and Doctor. The readings are from Acts 9:31-42; and the Gospel from John 6:60-69. Growth, far and wide was unstoppable for the Church after the persecution and conversion of Paul. St. Peter’s miracles were indeed a spiritual boost for the young growing Church. People in and around the Church witnessed the working of the Holy Spirit in preaching and healing ministries of the Apostles. “The church throughout Judea, Galilee, and Samaria had peace and was built up. Living in the fear of the Lord and in the comfort of the Holy Spirit, it increased in numbers.” (Acts.9:31). In today’s reading, we have two incidents of God’s mercy and healing through St. Peter. He healed a paralysed person named Aeneas and he restored Dorcas to life. God uses the generous and committed people for the spreading of the Church and sharing of the Good News. Yes, it is not that easy to respond generously like Saints Peter and Paul, yet we can still offer our share for the growth of the Church. When teachings of the Church sound challenging, let us not leave rather to be closer to Him who gave us faith. Just like them, we too need to continue the work of Jesus. Our mission and ministry must remind people of Jesus and leading them to love Jesus all the more. The responsorial Psalm praises, “How can I repay the Lord for his goodness to me? (Ps.115:12). Have we ever felt leaving the Church for one reason or the other? At times, we leave the Church for a petty reason, or a difference of opinion. None of us are leaving just because we are tired of listening or finding the teachings of the Lord challenging but for our personal reasons. In the Gospel we have a situation, where the disciples wanted to leave on account of the discourse on the Eucharist. Jesus would ask every believer today the same question: “What about you, do you want to go away too?” (Jn.6:68). What would be our answer? We may not like a priest or a bishop or their teachings, yet we must love and come closer to the Lord. The priests and the bishops are transferred, but the Lord in the Most Holy Eucharist resides in the tabernacles remains with us always. If and when we do not accept some doctrinal or moral teachings of the Church, are we going away from the Church? We must be boldly confessing like Peter. “Lord, who shall we go to? You alone have the message of eternal life.” (Jn.6:69). Let us not fail Jesus by our intentional walking out of Jesus. May you have a good day.