THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

(A biblical refection on the PENTECOST SUNDAY, 19^th of May 2013) 

First Reading: Acts 2:1-11 

Psalms: Ps 104:1,24,29-34; Second Reading: 1Cor 12:3-7,12-13 or Rom 8:8-17; Gospel Reading: Jn 14:15-16,23-26 

The Scripture Text

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (Acts 2:1-11 RSV) 

When the day of Pentecost came, it found the apostles and other disciples of Jesus in one place. Although they were physically together, they were far from united in their minds and hearts. After Jesus has left them for heaven, they felt like orphans, abandoned and confused. Doubts filled their minds and fear tugged at their hearts. What was to become of them? Would they undergo a fate like that of Jesus on the cross? Feeling abandoned and confused, each one could think only of himself – for in time of fear our worst inclinations toward selfishness becomes manifest and our instinct for self-preservation becomes all-pervading.

Then an amazing thing happened. With a great rush of wind the Holy Spirit came upon them, that same Holy Spirit who had sanctified Mary. Doubts and fears were blown away. The apostles and other disciples stood up together like one man and boldly went forth to proclaim the marvels God had accomplished in Jesus Christ. They had become like Mary in their dedication to Christ. All thoughts of selfishness and disunity had been left behind in the upper room. The Church, born from the side of the Savior on the cross, had now been formed by the Spirit into a unity and manifested to the world. From all eternity the Holy Spirit unites the Father and the Son in an unchanging embrace of love. After Jesus had ascended into heaven and returned to His Father, He sent forth the Holy Spirit from Himself and His Father upon the Church to unite all its members in love as one body.

The Church of Jesus Christ is like a human body in which there are many parts: arms, legs, eyes and ears. Despite its many parts the human body is a whole, a unity, with all the parts working together harmoniously for the good of the one body (second reading). Informing and uniting all the parts is the life-giving principle, the soul. Look around you today. You see the universal Church in microcosm. You see women, men and children of every age,  background and culture. Throughout the world the Church embraces all peoples of all places. It is a true melting pot. Uniting all the people of the Church is its life-giving principle, its soul, the Holy Spirit (see Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi, 60f).

Look around this Church again. We are all gathered together in one place, like the apostles and disciples on Pentecost. Today on this Pentecost Sunday, the Father and the Son wish to renew and intensify their sending of the Holy Spirit upon us, the Church. We are called to stand as one man to profess one faith with one voice (Preface). Putting aside all selfishness and individualism, we must open ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit who can blow away all fear and doubt. How earnest and sincere should be our prayer in this Mass: “Grant that we, who are nourished by His body, one spirit in Christ” (Third Eucharistic Prayer). Young or old, rich or poor, each one of us has been called to be a member of the one body of Christ. Like Jesus Christ Himself, the head of the body, filled with the Holy Spirit we are to look to heaven and call God our Father.

When Jesus promised the disciples to send the Holy Spirit, He first said to them: “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). Peace is the fruit of unity and harmony. When we offer each other the sign of peace in the Holy Mass, we are actually praying that we will be open to the Spirit of love who unites us as one in Christ. This Pentecost today can have real meaning in our lives if, filled with the Holy Spirit, we leave the church determined to be instruments of peace and harmony to others. Only our own selfishness can inhibit the beautiful movement of the Holy Spirit. Worshipping God as one people in the Holy Mass, we can also lead lives in accord with who we truly are: one body, of spirit in Christ.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, come! Glorious life of God, fullness of the Father’s love given by the Son, flow like a river into my heart and wash away all of my sins. Set me on fire for You and send me out to the world as Your ambassador. Amen.

Jakarta, 17^th of May 2013  

A Christian Pilgrim

 

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT [4]

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT [4] 

In this last part of our discussion on “Life in the Spirit”, let us consider the subject of “discernment”. We all know that we are not perfect. We all sin. Perhaps the best way for us to learn whether we are acting in accord with the Holy Spirit is by examining our hearts and our actions. In extreme circumstances, we can easily discern our state. We may be in foul mood all day or find ourselves caught up in lust or envy. Perhaps we tear down a friend or our spouse through gossip. These are all sure signs that we are far from the Lord and need to turn back to Him. 

Likewise, there are times when we can easily tell that we are in the Spirit. Perhaps, after having received the Eucharist, we are full of love. We may feel an inner desire to serve God in some parish ministry. Maybe we feel a deep compassion for the poor or the sick, or we find it easier to forgive those who have hurt us. 

However, we are also familiar with countless thoughts, actions, and behavior patterns that fall somewhere in between these two extremes. In these cases, it can be quite difficult to determine whether they are of the Spirit or not. These “gray areas” require the gift of discernment – a gift of the Spirit to help us perceive more clearly what is motivating us. Discernment is a wonderful gift that we can grow in as we practice following the Holy Spirit every day. 

Concluding remarks: No matter who we are – rich or poor, intellectual or laborer – God invites all of us to live close to His heart. This is a privilege that comes as we yield our lives to the Holy Spirit. Living in the Spirit requires that we allow our interior disposition to be formed by the Holy Spirit so that we come to reflect the love and compassion our heavenly Father. Let us always place our hope in the Spirit’s promise to lead us into the Father’s heart. Let us practice living in the Spirit, confident that God is always waiting to help us and to teach us more. 

Jakarta, 18^th of May 2013 

A Christian Pilgrim

 

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT [3]

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT [3] 

The Holy Spirit softens our hearts. As we learn to pray constantly, we will begin to discover changes in our interior disposition. Perhaps we will become more patient. The Holy Spirit may show us areas of sin and lead us to confess them to God and repent. Perhaps we will become less anxious or less prone to anger and resentment. All of this happens because the Holy Spirit is filling us with God’s grace and warming our hearts with His love. Such an infilling moves us to love God in return and to obey Him. It gives us a greater confidence that we can share in His life. 

Another essential part of living in the Spirit is allowing our thoughts, our decisions, and our emotions to flow from our experience of God. As Saint Paul described life in the Spirit, he contrasted it with life “in the flesh” – a life driven by the sinful desires of our fallen nature (Romans 8:8). Paul wrote, “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Romans 8:5). In his letter to the Galatians, Paul distinguished the fruit of the Spirit – love, joy, peace – from the work of the flesh – envy, rivalry, lust and selfishness (Galatians 5:19-23). Saint Paul called the life in the flesh hostility toward God, and life in the Spirit openness and obedience to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:6-7). 

Saint Paul taught a simple lesson: Our outward behavior reveals our inner disposition. As we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit, we will find ourselves acting in accord with the Holy Spirit during the day. Some of this will occur naturally as our hearts are softened by the Holy Spirit. However, much of this change occurs as we make decisions in the course of the day to obey God’s commands and to follow the promptings of His Spirit. 

This is why it is important that we remain close to God and call on the Holy Spirit often during our days. The more opportunities we give God to mold us and shape us in His image, the more we will reflect His love and His power to those around us.  [to be continued]

Jakarta, 17^th of May 2013 

A Christian Pilgrim

 

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT [2]

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT [2] 

Prayer – conversation with God – is the first priority of living in the Spirit. We must welcome the Holy Spirit in prayer. We all know that it takes time and commitment to build true and lasting friendships. In the same way, we grow close to God as we spend time in prayer opening our hearts to Him and listening to His voice. 

Think about an athlete who wants to qualify for the Olympic games. He knows that constant practice will greatly improve his performance. He also knows that inconsistent practice may help, but it will reduce significantly his chances of making the team. Just so, the more we are committed to prayer, the more we will know what it is like to live in the Father’s heart. Why? Because prayer makes us sensitive to the Holy Spirit. 

Throughout his letters, Saint Paul encouraged his readers to pray constantly (1Thessalonians 5:17; see Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:18-20; Philippians 4:4-7). Constant prayer means not only praying every day, but also taking a few moments at different points in our day to turn our hearts to God. Through constant prayer, we give the Holy Spirit freedom to move in us. We come to know what He likes and what He dislikes. We learn how to discern His voice and how to please Him. 

Constant prayer also makes us sensitive to the word of God and to the Eucharist. Praying with the scriptures opens our minds to God and makes our hearts burn with love for Him (Luke 24:32). We all have heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” Spiritually, the more we eat the bread of Christ with prayerful hearts, the more we will think and act like Jesus. Constant prayer – at home or at Mass, whether we are reading the scriptures or driving to work – is our secret to intimacy with God. Prayer, flowing from a pure heart, is the best way we can learn to be led by the Holy Spirit. [to be continued]

Jakarta, 16^th of May 2013 

A Christian Pilgrim

 

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT [1]

LIFE IN THE SPIRIT [1] 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) says that our highest goal in life – our highest calling – is to experience “Life in the Spirit” (CCC, 1699). Life in the Spirit is possible for each one of us because through Christ we can “participate in the light and the power of the divine Spirit” (CCC, 1704). Jesus, who is the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), always lived in the Spirit (see Luke 4:18). Now, through His death and resurrection, He has given us His Holy Spirit so that we too can live as He lived (Romans 8:15-16). This is the wonder of the Gospel: Through faith in Jesus Christ, we are made able to enter into the life of God. We can live a new life! 

Life in the Spirit is the capacity – given to us by God – to follow Jesus’ example (CCC, 1709). What was Jesus’ example? Every day of His life, He sought the power of the Holy Spirit to do His Father’s will. Everything Jesus said and did came from His union with God the Father, a union that only the Holy Spirit could sustain. As it was for Jesus, so can it be for us as we allow the Holy Spirit to direct our thoughts and actions. We call this “living in the Spirit” because we cannot sustain such a life on our own. We are all sinners. We all need God desperately. The good news is that God invites all of us to experience life in the Spirit. All He asks is that we pray, follow His commands, and check our disposition during the day. In return, He promises to fill us with His Spirit every day. 

The key ingredients in our attempts at life in the Spirit is the experiential knowledge that God loves us, that Jesus has saved us, and that Holy Spirit lives in us. The Holy Spirit in us wants to move us to live each day under His influence, and the only way we will follow Him is if we know the love of God that surpasses all fears and anxieties (Romans 8:37-39). [to be continued] 

Jakarta, 15^th of May 2013 

A Christian Pilgrim

 

THEY TURNED TO GOD AND ASKED FOR GUIDANCE

THEY TURNED TO GOD AND ASKED FOR GUIDANCE

(A biblical refection on the FEAST OF SAINT MATTHIAS, APOSTLE, TUESDAY, 14^th of May 2013) 

First Reading: Acts 1:15-17,20-26 

Psalms: Ps 113:1-8; Gospel Reading: Jn 15:9-17 

The Scripture Text

In those days Peter stood up among the brethren (the company of persons was in all about a hundred and twenty), and said, “Brethren, the scripture had to be fulfilled, which the Holy Spirit spoke beforehand by the mouth of David, concerning Judas who was allotted his share in this ministry.

For it is written in the book of Psalms, ‘Let his habitation become desolate, and let there be no one to live in it’; and ‘His office let another take.’ So one of the men who have accompanied us during all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, beginning from the baptism of John until the day when He was taken up from us – one of these men must become with us a witness to His resurrection.” And they put forward two, Joseph called Barsabbas, who was surnamed Justus, and Matthias. And they prayed and said, “Lord, who knowest the hearts of all men, show which one of these two Thou hast chosen to take the place in this ministry and apostleship from which Judas turned aside, to go to his own place.” And they cast lots for them, and the lot fell on Matthias; and he was enrolled with the eleven apostles. (Acts 1:15-17,20-26 RSV) 

Let us face it: It is easy to choose between something we know is good and something we know is bad. What is hard is choosing between two things that seem equally good. That is the kind of decision the eleven apostles faced in replacing Judas Iscariot. They had identified two equally qualified men who met the requirements for becoming an apostle, but could not decide which one should be selected. Knowing how important this decision was, they turned to God and asked for guidance. Then they cast lots and selected Matthias.

The strategy of the eleven apostles may seem like a bizarre way to make an important decision, but it would not have seemed so for the Jews of Jesus’ day. The Old Testament also has stories where decisions were made by this process: Numbers 26:55; Joshua 18:6; Jonah 1:7 are just three. Actually, casting lots to make a decision has merits. For one thing, it neutralizes feelings and prejudices that might otherwise unfairly affect a decision. But more importantly, it is a way of placing the decision in God’s hands.

We all face times when making the right choice is tough. We are confronted with several good options, but which is best is not always clear. We would gladly follow God if we could only figure out what He wants. The ancient Christians discerned His will by casting lots, but He has given us so much more to guide us: Scripture, teachings of the Church, the Holy Spirit, our fellow Christians, and our own consciences. Listening for His voice in these ways can help us discern more clearly where God is calling us. And even if we get stuck and still cannot find the right answer, we can always leave it in God’s hands as we make the best choice we can. Better hat than allowing anxiety and indecision to cloud our minds!

God loves us unconditionally and longs to see us surrender our lives to His will. He will never ask for more than we are capable of giving. Whenever we try our very best, we will be amazed at the wonders God will work in our lives.

Short Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being the light that guides me in times when I do not know what to do. Help me always to be open to Your guidance and to trust that You will lead me through all of the choices I must make. Amen.

Jakarta, 14^th of May 2013 

A Christian Pilgrim

 

DID YOU RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN YOU BELIEVED?

DID YOU RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT WHEN YOU BELIEVED? 

Reading: Acts 19:1-8 

“Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” (Acts 19:2 RSV) 

That’s a key question, isn’t it? Have you ever stopped to consider what an amazing gift you’ve been given through your baptism? Many people think of baptism simply as the sacrament that wipes away original sin and brings us into the Church. It is that, but it is so much more. 

Before Jesus came on the scene, His cousin John was baptizing people for the forgiveness of sins. But he also said that someone would come after him who would  baptize in the Holy Spirit. And that someone is Jesus, who commanded His followers to baptize people in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it: “The Most Holy Trinity gives the baptized sanctifying grace, the grace of justification, [and] …… the power to live and act under the prompting of the Holy Spirit” (CCC, 1266). 

Baptism is meant to be just the beginning of a life lived under the guidance and power of the Holy Spirit. At its core, baptism is all about coming to know Jesus and experiencing the power of His resurrection in our lives – something only the Holy Spirit can give to us. Only He can bring us to a living encounter with the Lord Jesus. Only He can make us a new creation, adopted children of God, partakers in the divine nature, members of Christ, co-heirs with Him and temples of the Holy Spirit (CCC, 1265). 

That’s something worth celebrating! If we are to experience these blessings in our lives – and not just be informed about them – we need the Holy Spirit and the gifts that He freely pours out. So today, ask ourselves the same question that Saint Paul asked the Ephesians: “Into what then were you baptized?” (Acts 19:3). Let us now ask the Holy Spirit to unveil for us the enormous treasure we received on the day of our baptism. We really did receive the Holy Spirit when we believed. So now, let us ask Him to reveal Jesus Christ to us in a life-changing way. 

Jakarta, 13^th of May 2013 

A Christian Pilgrim