Friday, October 31, 2025
All Hallows’ Eve
My sisters and brothers in the Lord,
Welcome to week forty-four of BMW, Be My Witnesses. This week we begin our final cycle of missionary formation. Recall that in the first chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, Jesus does not ask the apostles to be his witnesses, nor does he command them; rather, he merely states, “You will be my witnesses.” It is this grace which has been at the heart of all we have been doing this past year. So, one more time, let us begin with prayer, especially the prayer of adoration.
Prayer: Time in Adoration
“O Come, let us adore him.” I know that is part of a Christmas carol, O Come all ye Faithful. But, if we are to be so caught up in Jesus Christ that we automatically become his witnesses, it will be because we are with him, face to face, adoring the one who saved us and gives ultimate meaning to our lives.
Every morning, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, and many laity say the Liturgy of the Hours. We begin with the Invitatory Psalm 95. This is a fascinating psalm. It has two parts.
The first part deals with the fact of who God is and what our response to God must be. The first and third stanzas of this first part are calls to worship and to worship all day long. This is ultimately the only response we can make to our good God who has given us so much. These two stanzas surround a statement that God simply is: he is the rock, the king, the creator, the shepherd. In a sense, this intervening stanza provides the motive for why we are worshippers and why our only response to God must be to worship him.
The second half of the psalm almost comes as a surprise. Most of us would be content with ending the Invitatory psalm before we get to this part. For this second part qualifies a particular aspect of our worship. Here it is that we acknowledge that our day will not simply be one of praise as we worship God, but it will also be one of obedience — that is the true worship we will render.
At the beginning of each day, we recognize that we will be obedient to God in all that we do and not to harden our hearts to God’s will. We are often tempted to think we know a better way. This will be constant temptation for all of us. What a great way to start each day. This psalm is a daily warning to each of us.
So adoration, especially before the Blessed Sacrament, is a way to recognize who we are — we are beloved sons and daughters who will be tasked to know and do God’s will every day.
My Weekly Challenge
Our challenge this week is at least once and preferably several times let us place ourselves before the Lord, before the Blessed Sacrament, and simply adore him, such that our hearts will be fully open to doing the Father’s will.
Until next week, may God Bless you.
+ Earl Boyea
Bishop of Lansing
P.S. Here is a video version of this week's Be My Witnesses. Please do share with friends and family. Thank you.