Acts 12:1-5. Herod has begun to treat the new church with violence. He has the apostle James killed by the sword, and when he sees that is pleasing to the Jewish leaders, he has Peter arrested as well. During the Passover, Peter is seized and put in prison where he is guarded by four squads of soldiers. Herod intends to bring him out to face the people after Passover. While Peter is imprisoned, earnest prayer is made for him by the church.

We all know what is going to happen, but I stopped here because I am trying to put myself in the shoes of the early disciples as I read these stories in Acts. Stopping here, I can't help but think that Peter is thinking his fate is about to be the same as Jesus'. Jesus was also arrested during Passover, and he was imprisoned overnight after being questioned by the Jewish leaders, before being delivered to Pilate. I'm sure that Peter is thinking about this as he sits in this jail cell, guarded by four squads of soldiers. Also, James has just been killed, so Peter must be in a state of great sadness and uncertainty, as well. This time in prison had to have been some of Peter's darkest days.

What can the early church and the other disciples do? They are seemingly powerless against Herod and the Jewish leaders! But the church is never powerless. The church is the caretaker of God's Word on earth, the greatest power there is, and we are about to see that power manifested. This passage ends with "So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the church." This is a "to be continued" of the best sort! The church is praying, and we are about to see the effects of that!!

At a time when many feel powerless against the state and the seemingly unidentifiable "powers that be" (which I, along with Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, believe is really the power of the Antichrist), we must remind ourselves that we have all the power we need. We have power itself on our side!! As Mary keeps telling us, all we have to do is pray earnestly, fast, and trust. In the end, her Immaculate Heart will triumph, and we are truly helping that to happen, in ways we do not fully understand, through our earnest prayer.