Category: Bible Study

“As Paul laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came down on them and they began to speak in tongues and to utter prophecies.” —Acts 19:6 Most of you reading this have the Holy Spirit living and working within you through your Baptisms and Confirmations. So for you this Pentecost novena should result in growth in the Spirit. However, human beings, even Christians, usually don’t have a strong desire to grow. This is why the Lord commands us to grow (e.g. Eph 4:15; 2 Pt 3:18). Otherwise, we wouldn’t try to grow. Nevertheless, we may even ignore the Lord’s...

“Within a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.” —Acts 1:5 Jesus tried to give us the Holy Spirit three times. When He died on Calvary He gave over His Spirit (Jn 19:30), although only a few were present to receive the Spirit. Jesus’ second attempt to give us the Holy Spirit was on the first resurrection night. He breathed on His apostles and commanded: “Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:22). It seems that they only partially received the Spirit because they stayed locked up in the upper room. The Church received the fullness of the Holy...

Apollos established “from the Scriptures that Jesus is the Messiah.” —Acts 18:28 While in the city of Ephesus, Apollos unpacked the Old Testament Scriptures that referred to Jesus and established that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah (Acts 18:28). In so doing, Apollos imitated Jesus, Who, while walking on the road to Emmaus, unpacked the Old Testament Scriptures “beginning with Moses and all the prophets” and “interpreted for them every passage of Scripture which referred to Him” (Lk 24:27). As we progress through the Pentecost Novena, we increase our thirst to receive the Holy Spirit. A great way to open...

“Do not be afraid.” —Acts 18:9 It’s likely God wouldn’t have told St. Paul to not be afraid unless Paul was actually afraid of something. The city of Corinth must have been a rough place, for by this time in Paul’s life, he had already been stoned, apparently to death, at Lystra (Acts 14:19ff), and then stood back up and returned to town. He’d been jailed and beaten at Philippi, but miraculously freed by an earthquake. You’d think Paul would not fear anything at this point. But fear is a strong temptation, even to veteran disciples. The Pentecost Novena begins...

“They opposed him and insulted him.” —Acts 18:6 As I write this, a storm has just blown in. There’s a strong, driving wind outside (cf Acts 2:2). Lightning is darting throughout the sky and powerful blasts of thunder shake the windows. I hear sirens from fire trucks, police cars, and a tornado warning. It seems like this storm is turning the town upside down. Tomorrow we begin praying the Pentecost Novena, nine days of fervent prayer to prepare for receiving a new outpouring of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. What storm will result if you receive the Holy Spirit during...