Category: Bible Reading & Meditation
“It was in one Spirit that all of us, whether Jew or Greek, slave or free, were baptized.” –1 Corinthians 12:13 On Pentecost, after praying for nine days (see Acts 1:14), we “receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22). In fact, we are “filled with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:4). Better than that, we are baptized in the Spirit (Acts 1:5), that is, we are immersed in the Spirit. We not only drink the waters of the Spirit but, in a spiritual sense, we are under and stay under these waters. Living under the waters of the Spirit is a new...
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“Follow Me.” –John 21:22 The Holy Spirit comes to confirm us – to make us strong and faithful to the Lord. Before Pentecost, Jesus’ disciples were like chameleons. Their commitment to Jesus changed according to the circumstances. For example, they said they would never disown Christ (Mt 26:35), but they all deserted Him in the Garden of Gethsemani (Mt 26:56). Jesus commanded St. Peter to follow Him, but Peter was more concerned about what other people were doing or not doing (Jn 21:21). Only by the power of the Spirit can we be faithful to the Lord. St. Paul began...
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“Do you love Me?” –John 21:15, 16, 17 As we near Pentecost, the questions loom: “Am I ready to receive the Holy Spirit in fullness? Am I ready to renew my Baptism and Confirmation? Am I ready to receive and to help others receive new Pentecosts?” If we see signs of the miracle of unselfishness in our lives, we are probably ready for the Holy Spirit of Pentecost. If we are more concerned about feeding the sheep than feeding ourselves (see Jn 21:17), we are probably on the threshold of a new Pentecost. If we are willing to go not...
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“I bless the Lord Who counsels me.” –Psalm 16:7 God the Father is “great in counsel” (Jer 32:19), always guiding us in every situation. He counsels us by day and by night (Ps 16:7). “He has counsel in store for the upright” (Prv 2:7). God the Father has sent us Jesus, the “Wonder-Counselor” (Is 9:5). Jesus counsels us through His Word (see Ps 119:24), through direct personal guidance (see Is 30:21), and through the teaching ministry of His Church (see Lk 10:16). Jesus and the Father have sent us the Holy Spirit. The Spirit counsels us in practical ways. For...
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“I do not ask You to take them out of the world, but to guard them from the evil one.” –John 17:15 Savage wolves will come from within the Church (Acts 20:29) to distort the truth and lead astray “any who follow them” (Acts 20:30). As part of the persecution from these savage wolves, we will have to contend with the hatred of the world (Jn 17:14) and the rage of the devil against us (see Rv 12:12; 1 Pt 5:8). We definitely need to be guarded, and in addition to our guardian angels, the Holy Spirit has assigned people...
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