Monday May 16, 2022          

Monday of 5th Week in Easter

 

God Living in Us

            In the first reading, Luke shows Paul working the same signs among pagans as Peter among the Jews (here the cure of a crippled person), and preaching the same message.

            In the Gospel, Christ speaks of God’s indwelling. In the Old Testament, God’s dwelling place was first the Tent and the Ark of the Covenant, then later, the Temple. The Temple was the sign that God lived among and with his people. This was taken often too materially and almost magically. God’s presence was more interior, i.e., through his wisdom found in the hearts of the just, said the wisdom books. Christ says that God’s presence is much more intimate: he lives by love in the hearts of those who love him and keep his word, a presence that can be known only by one who loves.

            Christ will manifest his presence among us now in the Eucharist.

 

First Reading: Acts 14:5-18 

But then there was a split in public opinion, some siding with the Jews, some with the apostles. One day, learning that both the Jews and non-Jews had been organized by their leaders to beat them up, they escaped as best they could to the next towns—Lyconia, Lystra, Derbe, and that neighborhood—but then were right back at it again, getting out the Message.

Gods or Men?

There was a man in Lystra who couldn’t walk. He sat there, crippled since the day of his birth. He heard Paul talking, and Paul, looking him in the eye, saw that he was ripe for God’s work, ready to believe. So he said, loud enough for everyone to hear, “Up on your feet!” The man was up in a flash—jumped up and walked around as if he’d been walking all his life.

When the crowd saw what Paul had done, they went wild, calling out in their Lyconian dialect, “The gods have come down! These men are gods!” They called Barnabas “Zeus” and Paul “Hermes” (since Paul did most of the speaking). The priest of the local Zeus shrine got up a parade—bulls and banners and people lined right up to the gates, ready for the ritual of sacrifice.

When Barnabas and Paul finally realized what was going on, they stopped them. Waving their arms, they interrupted the parade, calling out, “What do you think you’re doing! We’re not gods! We are men just like you, and we’re here to bring you the Message, to persuade you to abandon these silly god-superstitions and embrace God himself, the living God. We don’t make God; he makes us, and all of this—sky, earth, sea, and everything in them.

 “In the generations before us, God let all the different nations go their own way. But even then he didn’t leave them without a clue, for he made a good creation, poured down rain and gave bumper crops. When your bellies were full and your hearts happy, there was evidence of good beyond your doing.” Talking fast and hard like this, they prevented them from carrying out the sacrifice that would have honored them as gods—but just barely.

 

Gospel: John 14:21-27 

“The person who knows my commandments and keeps them, that’s who loves me. And the person who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and make myself plain to him.”

Judas (not Iscariot) said, “Master, why is it that you are about to make yourself plain to us but not to the world?”

 “Because a loveless world,” said Jesus, “is a sightless world. If anyone loves me, he will carefully keep my word and my Father will love him—we’ll move right into the neighborhood! Not loving me means not keeping my words. The message you are hearing isn’t mine. It’s the message of the Father who sent me.

 “I’m telling you these things while I’m still living with you. The Friend, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send at my request, will make everything plain to you. He will remind you of all the things I have told you. I’m leaving you well and whole. That’s my parting gift to you. Peace. I don’t leave you the way you’re used to being left—feeling abandoned, bereft. So don’t be upset. Don’t be distraught.

 

Prayer

Lord God, loving Father,
we look for your presence
in the temple of nature
and in churches built by our hands,
and you are there with your people.
But above all, you have made your temple
right here in our hearts.
God, give us eyes of faith and love
to recognize that you live in us,
with your Son and the Holy Spirit,
if we keep the Word of Jesus Christ,
your Son and our Lord for ever. Amen.

 

Reflection:

16 May 2022
John 14: 21-26

The Holy Spirit will teach you everything

Today’s Gospel passage is from the farewell discourse of Jesus at the Last Supper. Today’s passage ends with this verse: “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you” (14: 25-26). It is the promise of the Holy Spirit, who will accompany us in life. In Greek, the term Paràclete means the one who supports, who accompanies so that you don’t fall, who is close to you to support you.

And the Lord promises us his support: “He will teach you everything and remind you of all that I have told you” (26). The Holy Spirit teaches us the mystery of faith, he teaches us to understand and develop our faith. And the faith is to love Jesus and to keep his Word. The promise of the Lord is huge: God the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit will come and live within us when we love Jesus and keep his Word!

It is the Holy Spirit who helps us to grow constantly in the Love of Jesus. Pope Francis says, “Faith is not static, it grows. It grows as the trees grow larger and bear fruits, but the tree is always the same. The Holy Spirit will help us grow in Love and lead us to maturity.

The Holy Spirit is a reminder: “He will remind you of all that I have told you” (26). He is like memory; He keeps us always awake in the things of the Lord. Have we not experienced a voice deep within us telling us, “Go ahead! This is what the Lord wants you to do;” or “Watch out! The Lord would not want you to do this?” This is the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

While listening to catechumens who are preparing for baptism, this is an often-heard story: “I studied in a Catholic school… or I had a liking for the Church and faith for some time, but then I was busy with my job and went along the wrong paths. Now, I think it is time to come back to Jesus….” They recall that initial love or spark they experienced towards Jesus when they were young and now they want to return. Pope Francis says, “this is the memory of the Holy Spirit in one’s life. He brings you to the memory of what Jesus taught.

The Holy Spirit also bring us to the memory of our life’s journey. In this memory, he guides us to discern what is the right path and what is wrong, even in small decisions. If we ask the Holy Spirit for light, He will help us discern to make the right decisions, both the small ones of every day, and the greatest. He is who accompanies us, supports us in our discernment.

 

Video available on Youtube: The Holy Spirit will teach you everything