Sunday:       6 TH SUNDAY OF EASTER
Date:         May 9, 1999
Year:         A
The readings: [Acts 8:5-8. 14-7; 1 Pet. 3:15-8; Jn. 14:15-21]
The message:  ENJOYING THE PRESENCE OF THE HOLY SPIRIT.
Prepared by:  CATHOLIC DOORS MINISTRY
Total words:  1021

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In the Book of Ezekiel that is found in the Old Testament, we read that centuries before the birth of our Lord Jesus, God the Father promised to give to His people a new heart and a new spirit, removing their hearts of stone that interfered with living a holy life. [Ezek. 36:26] Over and above this free and undeserved gift, God promised to place His Spirit within His people to make them follow His statutes and be careful to observe His ordinances. [Jer. 31:33; Ezek. 36:27] In today's readings, we see the fulfillment of the promise of God.

Now, this blessing of God that we have received, it is not the spirit of the world, but the Holy Spirit that is from God so that we may understand the gifts bestowed on us by God. [1 Cor. 2:12] Without the Holy Spirit, we are nothing, for He is our assurance of salvation.

In today's First Reading, we perceive the importance of receiving the Sacrament of Baptism in the Name of the Holy Trinity. While Philip baptized in the Name of Jesus, clearly displaying the power of God by the numerous cures that were witnessed by all, this was not sufficient. Jesus had clearly commanded that the Sacrament of Baptism be performed in the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. [Mt. 28:16]

When Peter and John arrived in Samaria, they laid their hands on those who had been baptized in the Name of Jesus so they could receive the gift of the Holy Spirit, this fulfilling the Heavenly Father's promise of centuries earlier. Through the proper words that are found in the Sacrament of Baptism, the Heavenly Father, the Lord Jesus and the Holy Spirit are individually acknowledged as One God.

As Christ was put to death in the flesh but made alive in the Holy Spirit, through the Sacrament of Baptism, we were also put to death in our fleshly ways so we could be made alive in the Holy Spirit. By the grace of God, Jesus was asked to suffer for us. He who was righteous paid the price for our sins, for us who were unrighteous. This act of abunding Divine love was done to draw us to God.

Before dying on the Holy Cross, Jesus said, 'I will not leave you orphaned.' He asked the Heavenly Father to give you another Advocate to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, who the world cannot receive because it neither sees Him nor knows Him. You know Him, because He abides with you, and He is in you.

Having received a new heart and a new spirit, we are asked to obey God's commandments as a sign of our love for the Lord. By doing so, the Father loves us and Jesus loves u, He promising to reveal Himself to us.

When Satan puts doubt in our hearts, we may ask, "How do I know the Holy Spirit dwells within me so He can guide me?" Or we may ask, "How do I know that the Father and Jesus loves me?" "How does Jesus reveal Himself?"

My brothers and sisters in Christ, to answer those questions, we simply have to look back in our lives? How many of us have experienced what we called a "gut feeling" that guided us and protected us from danger? Do we really believe it was just a gut feeling? Since when does spiritual knowledge come from a physical body? Satan prefers that we believe that our physical body has this great power that warns us in times of danger rather than believing that the Holy Spirit spoke to us in our heart. This serves his purpose of destroying our faith in God.

How many times have we felt that burning desire to be near Jesus in prayer, by going to Church, by receiving the Sacrament of Penance or by receiving the physical Presence of Jesus in the Sacrament of the Holy Eucharist? Is it our physical body that is drawing us towards Jesus or is it Jesus Himself?

How many times when persecuted or worried about something, we suddenly were overwhelmed with a great joy and peace that descended upon us after we had turned to Jesus? Did our joy and peace come from our physical body? Since when does the physical body produce joy and peace as a result of anxieties? It does not and it cannot! Joy and peace are feelings of the heart, not of the physical body!

How many times have our brothers and sisters in Christ displayed the light of Christian kindness and love towards us when we deserved it and when we did not deserve it? How many times were we forgiven in Christian love for our trespasses that deserved an enemy rather than a friend?

As you can see from these few examples, the love and Presence of God is with us, in us and around us. The Holy Spirit walks with us, guiding and protecting us in our lives. His voice is heard in our heart when we take the time to listen and to hear Him.

Through the Holy Spirit, Jesus reveals the love and power of the Heavenly Father to us. He shows us how much God loves us, how much each and everyone of us are valuable to Him. Knowing this, we are asked to keep our good conscience clear so when someone slanders us for our good behaviour, they may be put to shame. It is better to suffer for doing good then to suffer for doing evil. There is no Heavenly reward when one suffers because he deserves it. But if we suffer according to the Will of God so we may be a living example to others, we can be assured that a Heavenly reward awaits us at the end of our hope.

This week, take a few moments every day to review how the Holy Spirit has been manifesting Himself in your lives. Acknowledge His Divine Presence. And most important of all, be thankful to God for sending His Spirit to you through Jesus Christ.

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The readings...

[The readings were taken from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible (C) 1989 Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Church of Christ in the United States of America.]

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First Reading...

"A severe persecution began against the church in Jerusalem, and all except the apostles were scattered. Philip went down to the city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. The crowds with one accord listened eagerly to what was said by Philip, hearing and seeing the signs that he did, for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, came out of many who were possessed; and many others who were paralysed or lame were cured. So there was great joy in that city. Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God, they sent Peter and John to them. The two went down and prayed for them that they might receive the Holy Spirit (for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.) Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit." [Acts 8:5-8, 14-7]

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Second Reading...

"In your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defence to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and reverence. keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ, may be put to shame. For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God's will, than to suffer for doing evil. For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit." [1 Pet. 3:15-8]

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Gospel Reading...

"Jesus said to his disciples, "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them." [Jn. 14:15-21]

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