God raised up a new witness for Himself in Apollos, an Alexandrian Jew, who had a sound knowledge of the Old Testament Scriptures, which was a real gift to the Church. As soon as he was fully initiated into Christianity he began his missionary work for Christ. He would not have understood armchair disciples, for he responded energetically to the challenge of Jesus: 'If you acknowledge me before men, I will acknowledge you before my Father . . . to teach all nations . . . ' It was people like Apollos who brought fulfilment to today's psalm: 'The princes of the peoples are assembled with the people of Abraham's God. The rulers of the earth belong to God who reigns over all.'

Before his Baptism, Apollos, like the disciples before Calvary, had not asked anything of the Father in Jesus' name. Now it was his joy to ask and recieve for himself and for others. Because of their union with Jesus their prayer will reflect his, and the Father will respond to them as beloved sons. The ultimate in religious experience is to be in union with the Father, the Son and the Spirit, and that gift Jesus bestows on all His friends who care to respond in loving relationship.