Daily Reflection – 5/27/19
Sacred Scripture
Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.”(John 15:26-16:4a)
Reflection
In today’s Gospel, Jesus offers these words of comfort to the disciples standing before him, to John’s fragile community, and to us. For most of us, our trials may not resemble the violent extremism of many parts of the world. Ours may be a more subtle poison, an insidious wearing away at our faith through indifference, moral relativism, societal ridicule and more.
Believing in Jesus is not easy. It is one thing to verbally profess faith in him and another to live out all that he taught and did. It is especially difficult to follow him when things do not go the way we want them to and when things happen contrary to our expectations. When those to whom we are good repay us with goodness, we are not surprised, because we expect them to do just that. However, when those to whom we have reached out in love are ungrateful and sometimes openly hostile to us, we get shocked at their behavior, simply because we did not expect them to react in that way. It is at times like these that we must remember the predictions of Jesus made here. His love for the world, shown in the most tangible manner on the cross, was spurned by most of his contemporaries, yet that same love continues to be made new, even today, two thousand years later. We, too, are called not to fall away but to persevere in love.
To persevere in love and in faith to the teachings of Jesus Christ. To live our life centered on Him. Look at the world around us. Too many see the world through the theater of politics. Too many live in societies where morality is a word that is bandied about but not lived. The Holy Spirit sent by God to be our Comforter and Strength is within us to sensitize us to the values of His kingdom. Those are the values which should define our world. We are warned that those are the values which will erode our souls. Remaining in and living out His words is what our faith is about.
Prayer of The Day
O merciful God, fill our hearts, we pray, with the graces of your Holy Spirit; with love, joy, peace, patience, gentleness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. Teach us to love those who hate us; to pray for those who despitefully use us; that we may be the children of your love, our Father, who makes the sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. In adversity grant us grace to be patient; in prosperity keep us humble; may we guard the door of our lips; may we lightly esteem the pleasures of this world, and thirst after heavenly things; through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Prayer of Anselm, 1033-1109)
Daily Note
As we near the Solemnity of Pentecost, humbly admit to yourself if you need to let the Holy Spirit become more alive in your life. Trust that Jesus wants you to receive Him in His fullness. And be not afraid to let this union take place. We need to listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit who is in us and who tries to lead us on the path of truth.
