Created in the Father’s image, shown how to live by His only Son, designed with hearts and minds that are free, able to choose between many things, but made to be moved by the Spirit.
Everywhere, working things for best, sometimes we see it, others we don’t. Either way, you never fade or leave, but wait for an open, honest gaze.
The coming, going, and going ons, time, ages, and different stages, accompanied by the Love of three, Holy Trinity, how blessed are we.
God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him might not perish but might have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through him. Whoever believes in him will not be condemned, but whoever does not believe has already been condemned, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. – John 3:16-18
The readings for the Solemnity of Pentecost offer an opportunity to contemplate faith from the perspective of both personal experience and communal experience. In the First Reading (Acts 2:1-11), it is written:
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
The Spirit not only rested upon each one, but penetrated them, and more than filled them up. The apostles were given what they needed, the ability to communicate effectively with those whose languages were different than theirs.
In what area(s) of your life do you desire the Holy Spirit to assist or inspire you?
The reading continues with the people shocked at what they are hearing and trying to understand what is going on:
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.
Recall how you have been taken by surprise, experiencing or witnessing the mighty acts of God.
The Psalm response is from Psalm 104:
Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth. (cf. 30)
Inspired by the mighty acts of the Lord, take some time to pray for the things that your heart longs for the Lord to bring His peace, love, healing, wisdom, and/or unity to.
After naming and praying for each thing, repeat the response from Psalm 104. As you pray, be aware of how your heart and mind are stirred. Allow yourself time to communicate your thoughts and feelings about both personal matters and those regarding your brothers and sisters in your community and around the world.
In the Second Reading (1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13), St. Paul gives voice to the fact that, yes, we are different (not all have the same gifts, or are called to serve, or to be the same), but that underneath those differences, we are born of the same God. And furthermore, he writes:
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
What’s it like to consider that the Holy Spirit can work in each, and every, person, no matter who they are or what they have done, to bring forth the good that God has in mind? How does, or how might, this notion influence you in your words, actions, and thoughts and prayers?
In the Gospel reading (John 20:19-23), it is written:
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Reflecting on this Gospel passage and the fifty days since Easter, what catches your attention? What have you carried forward for yourself, and regarding others? What, if anything, might be interfering with your ability to be guided by and to cooperate more fully with the Holy Spirit? What do you sense the Lord wants you to know at this moment?
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. – Gospel Acclamation
At times it can be very tempting to want to come to an understanding and then to make that understanding into something, or to hold it, as fixed or set in stone. Yet, time and again, Scripture repeatedly points to change. In Isaiah 43, it is written:
“See, I am doing something new! Now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? In the wilderness I make a way, in the wasteland, rivers.” (v. 19).
In other words, in places where the human tendency is to see something as set or stagnant, or to write it off, in, through and with the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, there is movement and possibility in everything, even that which appears to be static. In fact, the only true constant, as faith teaches, is the unwavering presence of the Holy Trinity.
Take a few moments to consider this further. Notice what comes to mind, and to what your heart is drawn as you contemplate this notion, and your personal experience.
In the Gospel passage for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity it is written:
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.” – John 16:12-15
Notice that Jesus uses the present tense when he says the Spirit of truth “will speak what he hears.” Jesus did not say, “will speak what he has heard.” What do you make of that?
Coming back to the notion of the Holy Trinity embracing and aiding movement and possibility, in what ways are you open to hearing more as you go about each day? In what areas might you be thoroughly convinced that there is no need to hear more, or to hear differently? How much room is being left for the Holy Spirit?
How does your level or sense of hope come into play and in whom or what is it placed? What is your overall stance, and how is the glory of God being honored or manifested in or through it?
Invite Jesus into conversation. Share with him what you’re noticing. Tell him about what it’s like for you when presented with something new or more, whether it relates to something you have already heard about, or something entirely different or novel. Allow Jesus to hear you out. Then ask Jesus for the grace to hear him out, and to be open to what he wants to reveal to you.
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen.
Celebrating the Sixth Sunday of Easter and moving toward the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, the First Reading (Acts 15:1-2, 22-29) begins with:
Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice, you cannot be saved.”
But then after much debate, or “dissension,” Paul, Barnabas, and others go to meet with the apostles and the elders to discuss this issue further. From this, comes:
“It is the decision of the holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right. Farewell.”
This is a great reminder of the need to leave room for the Holy Spirit. It can be tempting to want to understand or “know” something and then to consider it a closed book. Yet here we can see that the Lord’s way calls for openness, flexibility, and trust that the Holy Spirit can lead and guide us toward what is right and just according to God.
In the Second Reading (Revelation 21:10-14,22-23), describes the magnificence and glory of “the holy city of Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.” There is a place for every tribe and three gates facing each direction (east, north, south, and west). The foundation, stones representing each apostle of the Lord. Then, the following is written:
“I saw no temple in the city for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb. The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God gave it light, and its lamp was the Lamb.”
Perhaps a prompt, or a gentle nudge to recall, that although the things of earth can at times bring comfort or a sense of security, nothing can surpass the love and protection of God. It’s more than a lifetime guarantee!
The Gospel reading for this Sunday is as follows:
Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me. I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid. You heard me tell you, ‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father; for the Father is greater than I. And now I have told you this before it happens, so that when it happens you may believe.” – John 14:23-29
What thoughts and desires arise within you when you contemplate this passage?
What’s it like when you consider loving the Lord as being equal to keeping the Lord’s word, openness to being taught and reminded of the Lord’s word by the Holy Spirit and receiving the gift of the Peace of Jesus?
Take some time to reflect on your Easter journey thus far, and your relationship with Jesus. How do moments of peace and moments of distance from peace that you’ve experienced differ? And how are you inspired toward greater love and peace through the above Scripture passages and your experience of the risen Lord?
Your Peace, the greatest gift next to Your lasting Love. Exemplar of goodness, kindness… integrity, those wise, could hope to be.
The goodness of your breath O God, filled me up, heart and soul and body, and got me started. The faithfulness of your presence Carries me along, and your spirit, Moves me to what is best.
How much? How many? What rank? It does not matter; not a single bit. Besides, who am I to measure?
You lead me through both highs and lows. You teach me how to be, and what to cherish. I am lifted up and over by your love and care. Amazing how you do it. Amazing! The glory is forever yours, and yours alone, Yet, you always share it.
When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the earth. – Psalm 104:30
Into the night and all day too, The glow of lights sprinkled here and there, but really, almost everywhere. This peace, this joy, ever present, Sometimes noticed more than others, Sometimes not at all, Nevertheless, a presence always there. The heart, holding all together, Ups and downs, yeas and nays, Judgments, and lessons learned. Steady in the flow of life, Brave but never brazen. Standard bearer, but more, Usher of truth and light. There through it all, From year to year, And age to age.
Holy Spirit, help us turn the page, As the bells ring, And a new year begins, Renew our listening, Renew our resolve. Show us love, Show us kindness. Bring us peace, Bring us newness. Help us to work with Grace, To change what we need to change, And to carry hope, wherever we go. Help us, bit by bit, to turn our world around.
May God be gracious to us and bless us; may God’s face shine upon us. – Psalm 67:2
On the Fourth Sunday of Easter, we read about the experience of Paul and Barnabas touching the hearts of the Gentiles (perhaps seen as the outsiders) while enraging those considering themselves more as chosen, but of a different persuasion. Things seem to get off to a good start, but then the atmosphere changes. However, despite the change to an overwhelmingly inhospitable environment, the disciples hold firm to the Way even as they are being thrown out of Antioch. We read, “So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium” (Acts 13:51).
It’s interesting that Paul and Barnabas left Antioch, a city whose name means, “resistant, holding out against” and went on to Iconium, which means “City of the Image,” where they were more well-received, at least for a little while, before being led on to other territories. As with Jesus, with the disciples, there is always room for choice; they do not practice coercion.
We also read in this section of Scripture, “The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit” (Acts 13:51-52). What a combination! What’s it like to consider this disposition on the heels of them being expelled from Antioch? In what ways do you see the influence of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, in the reactions and responses of Paul and Barnabas, and their willingness to be led by the will of God, which is not rigid, and they cannot, and do not, know ahead of time?
In the Gospel according to John, Jesus says:
“My sheep hear my voice; I know them, and they follow me. I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish. No one can take them out of my hand. My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one can take them out of the Father’s hand. The Father and I are one.” – Jn 10:27-30
Contemplating the Gospel as the living Word of God, if someone told you a story about an inhospitable experience, perhaps one that caused them to pick up and leave, how would you receive what they shared? What if their experience occurred in a place where your experience was more, or only, positive? How open would you be to giving an honest look to the situation? And what would you be most interested in learning about their experience?
Keeping in mind, we are all created in God’s image, and we all belong to the sheepfold, how do you accept the invitation to trust that the same God who loves you, loves them, and that the same God who guides you, guides them, even if their choices and experiences may not be the same as yours?
In what ways, are your responses to people and situations a reflection of the Good Shepherd, and a heart that is filled with joy and the Holy Spirit?
Paul and Barnabas continued on from Perga and reached Antioch in Pisidia. On the sabbath they entered the synagogue and took their seats. Many Jews and worshipers who were converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to remain faithful to the grace of God.
On the following sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy and with violent abuse contradicted what Paul said. Both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and said, “It was necessary that the word of God be spoken to you first, but since you reject it and condemn yourselves as unworthy of eternal life, we now turn to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, I have made you a light to the Gentiles, that you may be an instrument of salvation to the ends of the earth.”
The Gentiles were delighted when they heard this and glorified the word of the Lord. All who were destined for eternal life came to believe, and the word of the Lord continued to spread through the whole region. The Jews, however, incited the women of prominence who were worshipers and the leading men of the city, stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them from their territory. So they shook the dust from their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. The disciples were filled with joy and the Holy Spirit. – Acts 13:14, 43-52
Taking in the scenery and the life in and around it, it is amazing to see the manner in which some travel back, some to and fro or here and there, and some not at all. It is also enlightening to watch as “homes” are built or tidied up, the hunt is on for a snack, or the landing as it’s time for a nap. So many things going on, some seen and some not. So many different creatures moving at their own pace, making and finding their way. All happening in the same place, and room for all.
Over the course of many weeks, it has seemed, more than ever in my lifetime, like all are relatively in the same boat. One can imagine or say with quiet confidence, throughout time, this is what it is like, whenever the world, as one and all know it, is turned upside down. Spirit of generosity, Lord, how wonderful the abundance of your presence, even in scarce or scariest of times.
Why does it seem that human hearts grow closer when it seems that there is no other choice? As options grow, will the leanings toward each other fade? Oh Solidarity, when, ever, will students learn the lesson?
Feeling concerned… preoccupied, I seek space… a place, unoccupied. Then, as the gentle breeze blows, it pushes lines across the water. The water where so many things are going on, some seen and some not. So many different creatures moving at their own pace, making and finding their way. All happening in the same place, and room for all. Then, as the gentle breeze blows, it lessens the lines in my reflection. Spirit of generosity, Lord, how wonderful the abundance of your presence, at all times.
I believe I shall see the Lord’s goodness in the land of the living. – Psalm 27:13
The waves of high tide were breaking as they continued their forward rush, splashing onto and washing over the steps and nearby rocks. Once there, they would lose steam and reverse direction. As they flowed back toward the sea in a more gentle way, just beyond, the next wave waited its turn to rush in, like the ones before it.
To watch the waves dance, and to listen to their song can be quite calming. To ride them, exhilarating, joyful, or perhaps unnerving depending on the day, the circumstances, or the conditions. Nonetheless, it is in experiencing the waves that we come to know them or to have a sense about them, and in doing so, see something about ourselves in the process. (There is always more than one side in learning.)
Just like waves, in the back and forth of life, it can be easy to get thrown around, washed away, or swept up based on experiences that may not be our own. While it can be helpful, at times, to hear an “expert’s” reporting, instinct and inner wisdom, are vital too. Hildegard of Bingen wrote, “We cannot live in a world that is not our own, in a world that is interpreted for us by others. An interpreted world is not a home. Part of the terror is to take back our own listening, to use our own voice, to see our own light.”
In chapter 16, verses 12-15, Jesus tells his disciples that they will be guided by the “Spirit of truth.” He does not say that they will be guided by Peter, John, or anyone else. This is not to say that they (as well as us) should not consult or listen to each other, but rather that the Wisdom of God seeks to make itself known to each individual, and that the Holy Spirit works to guide and lead us to what is wise—to what is truly best.
With so many voices in the world that look to grab and hold our attention, or to determine our choices, it is especially important to seek and to know, as well as to grow, the gifts given to each of us in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.
Jesus said to his disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you.” – John 16:12-15
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