Joseph L’Heureux,
Lay Minister
This is whom the Gospel of Luke and the book of Acts is addressed to. In other words, you!

Have you taken these two letters personally? Actually, the whole Bible is meant for you personally.

The two books above were addressed to Theophilus, which means “friend of God” in Greek. Some Bibles even refer to him as “Your Excellency”.

“So that you may see how reliable the instruction was that you have received.” [Luke 1:3-4]

Yet our commentary books do not know who Theophilus was. It’s probably safe to assume this is how our Lord looks on those who He loves and those who love Him in return.

Yes, the scriptures are meant for all who wish to be friends of God, for there we will find the promises and commandments, bringing forth blessings for those who obey His words, and curses for those who don’t.

This Sunday, June 24, Quebec will celebrate a provincial holiday, the feast of John the Baptist, who also immersed himself in these same 0ld Testament scriptures. He is considered the last of the Old Testament prophets.

What was his appearance like? A desert hermit, “dressed in camel’s hair and a leather belt around his waist, a diet of grasshoppers and wild honey.” [Matthew 3:4]

Does this sound radical or insane? Yes! Yet, Jesus called John The Baptist, “the greatest born of women.” [Matthew 11:11]

Two other friends of God, celebrated this week are John Fisher and Thomas More, two martyrs beheaded in 1535 in England for not going along with King Henry VIII’s desire for a divorce. Both were beheaded, just like John the Baptist; their error or faux pas, speaking out against adultery, the same as John the Baptist, who preached to Herod because he had taken his Brother Philips’ wife as his own. [Mark 6:14-29]

Coincidently, or a “God Incidence”, this weekend we also celebrate Mother Mary’s 36 years of daily appearances in Medjugorje, Croatia.

Martin Luther, a Catholic monk who preached against the errors of his time, was excommunicated for his efforts. This began what is called “the reformation” of the 16th century, which probably gave King Henry VIII, his impetus to attempt to make changes in the Catholic Church. These two incidences began the Lutheran, Anglican, and thousands of other denominations called Protestants.

Jesus warned his disciples, “I have told you all this to keep your faith from being shaken. Not only will they expel you from synagogues [churches]; a time will come when anyone who puts you to death will claim to be serving God, all this they will do to you because they knew neither the Father or me. But I have told you these things that when that hour comes you may remember my telling you of them.” [John 16: 1-4]

Yes, there have been many friends of God who have been put to death for their faith. If you look at what is happening today in Syria, Lebanon, Iraq and many eastern countries, there are thousands of friends of God. I tell you these things not to scare you, but to give you the courage to move out in your faith.

Here in the Western Hemisphere you are more likely to be kicked out of your caucus, political party, school, or even your church, for speaking the truth out of turn, rather than beheaded.

I’ve seen people kicked out of churches for speaking in tongues, [glossolalia, a gift of the Holy Spirit] or even committed to an institution for claiming to hear from God, and even labeled insane but not beheaded in this age.

Yes, I have been called insane a few times, The Archbishop once told me, “That places you in pretty good company, Jesus was considered insane.”

However, I would consider my former life insane: excessive drinking, carousing, failing to practice the faith I was brought up in, that was insanity.

As a matter of fact, our big book of A.A. says in Step 2: “Came to believe that a power greater than ourselves could restore us to sanity.”

If you are at that state in life where you’re saying, “Is this all there is?” or you’re looking for a “different edge” to live on, come and join us. Get into the scriptures and become a friend of Jesus.

“Eye has not seen, ear has not heard, nor has it so much as dawned on man what God has prepared for those who love Him. [1 Corinthians 2:9]

Jesus said to his disciples, “You are my friends if you do what I command you…you are no longer slaves.” [John 15: 14-15]

God bless!