4TH WEEK OF EASTER OR SAINT JOSEPH THE WORKER (OPTIONAL MEMORIAL)

I had a vision . . .

It was a tense discussion as “the circumcised believers confronted” Peter about eating with Gentiles (Acts 11:2). According to custom, “eating with” equated to “agreeing with,” and it certainly did not look good for a Jewish follower of Christ to break bread with people who did not adhere to Jewish standards of purity. How did Peter respond to the confrontation? Not with a lengthy theological defense, but with a vision! As a result of Peter’s explanation that day, the Church undertook a major shift in its acceptance of Gentiles.

This wasn’t the only time a vision had a major impact on the Church. In France in 1858, a “beautiful lady” appeared to a fourteen-year-old girl named Bernadette and told her, “I am the Immaculate Conception.” As a result, Lourdes became the site of many miraculous healings, and the dogma of the Immaculate Conception spread throughout the world.

In Poland in 1924, another teenager, Helena Kowalska, had a vision of the suffering Christ, which led to her joining a convent. In 1931, as a young nun, she had another vision of Jesus as the Divine Mercy. Paintings of this image have led to a newfound appreciation of the power of God’s mercy over sin, hatred, and despair.

The Bible is also filled with stories of how God used visions and dreams to advance his plan and his purpose. In the Old Testament, the patriarch Joseph’s dreams led to his banishment from his family but, ultimately, to their salvation and restoration. The prophet Jeremiah had many visions that God asked him to share with the people. And St. Joseph’s dreams helped protect the Holy Family.

Today, marvel at how creative and generous God is in revealing his love through dreams and visions. Perhaps a vivid dream has inspired you to pursue a God-given purpose. Perhaps you’ve seen an image in your mind’s eye that comforted you in a time of sorrow. Recall these experiences and thank God for them. Then ask him to continue to deepen your love for him and for others in his own creative way.

“Jesus, help me to see you more clearly, both while I am awake and as I sleep.”

Acts 11:1-18
Psalm 42:2-3; 43:3-4
John 10:11-18