Monday, June 2, 2014

Homily: Monday of the 7th Week of Easter - Did you receive the Holy Spirit?

We are in the final week of Easter and are fast approaching the feast of Pentecost.  During his third and final missionary journey, Paul made his way through the countryside of what is now Turkey.  He came to Ephesus and encountered a group of believers.  Yet, they didn’t seem to know much about Jesus; they had been baptized with the baptism of John the Baptist, rather than Jesus’ Baptism.  Remember John was baptizing with a baptism of repentance, preparing people for the coming Messiah.  John the Baptist even said, I baptize you with repentance, but he who is coming will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire

So when Paul asked them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?” They answered straight-faced: receive the Holy Spirit?  We’ve never even heard of the Holy Spirit!

So Paul baptized them into the saving death and resurrection of Jesus, and received the outpouring of God’s Spirit.  Immediately God’s Spirit began to transform their lives: they spoke in tongues and prophesied. 

It is good for us to reflect on our own baptism, and in preparation for Pentecost, it is good for us to recall that person of the Trinity that often goes neglected and underappreciated. 

At the Last Supper, Jesus promised his disciples that God would send the Holy Spirit to his followers.  He is the gift giver, the sanctifier, the consoler, the comforter.  When we are faithful to Jesus, the Holy Spirit bears fruits to help us build up the kingdom of God.  He bestows upon us and strengthens us with his seven-fold gifts.   of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord

The Holy Spirit brings us to a knowledge of our sins, and guides us to be forgiven by Jesus Christ, and strengthens us to live as his faithful followers, and he sets our hearts on fire with love for God and neighbor.

What is the fruit or gift of the Holy Spirit that you think you need most in your life right now?  To be wiser in prioritizing your life, to be more understanding of the truths of the faith in order to teach them, to be able to give better counsel to those who are struggling or lost, a deeper piety in participating in the celebration of the sacred mysteries?


May we be open to a great outpouring and strengthening of the Holy Spirit this week, for the Glory of God and Salvation of souls.

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