Given for the general good

“There are many different gifts, but it is always the same Spirit….. The particular manifestation of the Spirit granted to each one is to be used for the general good.  To one is given from the Spirit the gift of utterance expressing knowledge…. But at work in all there is one and the same Spirit, distinguishing them at will to each individual.”  (1 Corinthians 12: 4 – 11)

Every good gift and every talent is bestowed on us by the Holy Spirit.   It is possible to use our Spirit given gifts for the common good without being aware that we are doing so.  We become more effective when we identify our gifts, accept them gratefully and work to develop them.  Then we can use the gifts in a purposeful manner.  Since we receive the gifts from the Spirit, we ask the same Spirit to reveal to us what our gifts are.  Just as prayer demands effort, the task of uncovering our gifts could call for a sustained effort.  This is a task that is highly rewarding at the end.

Jesus is Lord !

“About the gifts of the Spirit, brothers, I want you to be quite certain.  You remember that, when you were pagans, you were irresistibly drawn to inarticulate hidden gods.  Because of that, I want to make it quite clear to you that no one who says ‘A curse on Jesus’ can be speaking in the Spirit of God, and nobody is able to say, ‘Jesus is Lord’ except in the Holy Spirit.”  (1 Corinthians 12: 1-3)

We see clearly from the above scripture a principle of discernment of spirits.  Where do you stand in relation to Jesus?  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only the one who does the will of my Father in heaven,” says Jesus in Matthew 7:21.  In other to identify the good spirit with point blank certainty, we combine 1Corinthians 12: 1-3 and Matthew 7:21.

You acknowledge Jesus as Lord with your mouth.  You do the will of the Father as taught by Jesus, the Lord.  Scripture cannot contradict itself.

God's Greatest Gifts

“He who did not spare his own Son but gave him up for us all, how will he not also with him graciously give us all things?”  (Romans 8: 32)

“If we have received God’s greatest gifts, we may well trust him for the rest. “  (Pulpit Commentary)

God gave us the Holy Spirit.  He gave us the Eucharist.  We can confidently trust Him to provide us all our daily needs.

Keep way from sexual immorality

“Keep away from sexual immorality.  All other sins that someone may commit are done outside the body; but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body.  Do you not realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you and whom you received from God?  You are not your own property, then; you have been bought at a price.  So use your body for the glory of God.”  (1 Corinthians 6: 18-20)

We are urged in the above scripture to keep away from sexual sins.  This warning is repeated in many places in the New Testament.  Considering the prevalence of sexual immorality in the society today and everywhere, it may come as a surprise to many that the word of God makes so much of what the word of man regards as next to nothing.  Why this apparent and total disconnect between the will of God and action of man in this one commandment?  The answer may well be found in 1 Corinthians 6: 18-20, the scripture under consideration.  The devil, the arch enemy of mankind who is also the father of lies scores his highest point in this one area of the Decalogue.  While the word of God urges man to reserve sex for marriage, the devil urges in the strongest terms immediate gratification.  The evil one then goes on to contradict every word of God with its lies, for example:  “You own your body.  Therefore you can use it the way you like.  There is nothing at all wrong with sexual pleasure.  See, everybody is doing it.  Get on with it.”

We know the importance of a biblical truth by the many times it is repeated in the Bible.  “Keep away from sexual immorality” is a truth that is repeated many times in the Bible.  The wages of every sin is death.  But sexual sin exacts its peculiar price.

Drunkards and Swindlers

“Do you not realize that people who do evil will never inherit the kingdom of God?  Make no mistake – the sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, misers, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers, none of these will inherit the kingdom of God.  Some of you used to be of that kind:  but you have been washed clean, you have been sanctified, and you have been justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and through the Spirit of our God.”  (1 Corinthians 6: 9-11)

The following class of people belongs to the people who do evil:  sexually immoral, idolaters, adulterers, self-indulgent, sodomites, misers, thieves, drunkards, slanderers and swindlers.  In Revelation 21:8, we see an almost similar list: 

“But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death.”  (Revelations 21:8)

For those who belong to Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit washes them clean, sanctifies and justifies them.

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The truth about numbers

“I will not be afraid of many thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.”  (Psalm 3: 6)

Numbers are powerful.  Ask any politician.  Here are some of the numbers that frighten us:

• ·         Bills
• ·         Taxes
• ·         Bank statements
• ·         Vital statistics
• ·         Polling results

How do you handle the fear?  There was a time in my life when I opened my bank statements with trepidation.  I dreaded the unsavory but necessary task.  One day, it occurred to me that I could apply the law of prayer to it.  And so I did.  Before I opened my bank statement or any correspondence, I asked God to help me not to be afraid but rather to trust Him.  Your situation might be different.  It could be that message from your doctor or maybe your boss.  Whatever the numbers, the same law of prayer will work for you. 

Lex Orandi

Lex Orandi, lex credendi, lex Vivendi.

As we pray, so we believe, so we live.

“If you pray well, you live well; if you live well, you die well.  If you die well, all is well.” – St. Augustine.

Our Most Welcome Guest

" Do you not know that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you? If anyone destroys God's temple, God will destroy that person; for the temple of God, which you are, is holy." (1 Corinthians 3: 16 – 17)

I discern the presence of the Holy Spirit in me and I rejoice in His indwelling.  The Holy Spirit is the soul’s most welcome guest.  The beautiful Sequence in the Mass of Pentecost Sunday shows the many attributes of Man’s best Friend.

Come, Holy Ghost, send down those beams,
which sweetly flow in silent streams
from Thy bright throne above.

O come, Thou Father of the poor;
O come, Thou source of all our store,
come, fill our hearts with love.

O Thou, of comforters the best,
O Thou, the soul's delightful guest,
the pilgrim's sweet relief.

Rest art Thou in our toil, most sweet
refreshment in the noonday heat;
and solace in our grief.

O blessed Light of life Thou art;
fill with Thy light the inmost heart
of those who hope in Thee.

Without Thy Godhead nothing can,
have any price or worth in man,
nothing can harmless be.

Lord, wash our sinful stains away,
refresh from heaven our barren clay,
our wounds and bruises heal.

To Thy sweet yoke our stiff necks bow,
warm with Thy fire our hearts of snow,
our wandering feet recall.

Grant to Thy faithful, dearest Lord,
whose only hope is Thy sure word,
the sevenfold gifts of grace.

Grant us in life Thy grace that we,
in peace may die and ever be,
in joy before Thy face. Amen. Alleluia.

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The Holy Spirit transforms us into the image of Christ

“And we know for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose.  For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.   And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified.”  (Romans 8: 28 – 30)

God is the author and finisher of the Enterprise.  There is no end without a beginning.  He who picks up one end of the stick picks up the other.  There is no beginning that does not anticipate an end.  The Christian consciousness always hinges on this “now but not yet”, that is, the Now and the Pleroma.  The interim between the Now and the Pleroma creates a crisis of hope.  The unpredictability of the Pleroma necessitates acute vigilance.  “Take heed, keep on the alert; for you do not know when the appointed time is.”  (Mark 13: 33)

The indwelling Spirit is the pledge of our hope.  The Spirit of Christ is always there to bless, console and whet the appetite for those waiting for the appointed time.  The Spirit sustains our intention, assuring us of its wisdom and strengthening our determination.

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Some Holy Spirit themes

“For it is not eating and drinking that make the kingdom of God, but the saving justice, the peace and the joy brought by the Holy Spirit.”  (Romans 14: 17)

“May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in your faith, so that in the power of the Holy you may be rich in hope.” (Romans 15: 13)

“I was given grace to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the gentiles, dedicated to offer them the gospel of God, so that gentiles might be an acceptable offering, sanctified by the Holy Spirit.” (Romans 15: 16)

In the above scriptures from Romans, we see the centrality of the Holy Spirit in the work of the Church.  There can be no saving justice without the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the principle of holiness.  His action in our soul makes us righteous and holy.  He is the Spirit of peace and joy.  Any peace and joy that are sought in the flesh is futile.   The Holy Spirit makes us rich in hope.  Sometimes in our prayer, we cry out to God, “O Lord, how long?”  The Holy Spirit causes us to persevere until we get our answer.  Finally, no Holy Spirit no mission.  The Holy Spirit is the power behind evangelization. 

Spirit and Prayer

The Holy Spirit teaches us to love.
The Holy Spirit helps us to be courageous in bearing witness to Jesus Christ.
The Holy Spirit teaches us how to pray.

Gesu

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The Holy Spirit is the first fruits

“And not only that: we too, who have the first fruits of the Spirit, even we are groaning within ourselves, waiting with eagerness for our bodies to be set free. In hope, we already have salvation; in hope, not visibly present, or we should not be hoping – nobody goes on hoping for something which he can already see. But having this hope for what we cannot yet see, we are able to wait for it with preserving confidence.” (8: 23 -25) (NJB)
The gift of the Holy Spirit is the first fruits of the blessings to come. When we possess this incredible gift of the Holy Spirit, we know for certain that God will fulfill all His promises to us. We can wait with persevering confidence for heaven to be our permanent residence.

By the Spirit or by Natural Inclinations

“You, however, live not by your natural inclinations, but by the Spirit, since the Spirit of God has made a home in you. Indeed, anyone who does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him. But when Christ is in you, the body is dead because of sin but the spirit is alive because you have been justified; and if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead has made his home in you, then he who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your own mortal bodies through his Spirit living in you.
So then, my brothers, we have no obligation to human nature to be dominated by it. If you do live in that way, you are doomed to die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the habits originating in the body, you shall live.” (Romans 8: 9 – 13)
To live by the Spirit is the opposite of living by the flesh or by human inclinations. The flesh is served by 5 senses: eye, ear, nose, tongue and touch. Living by the Spirit means walking by faith and not by the evidence of the 5 senses. Sometime ago, I watched on 20/20 the case of a Californian man who spent 10 years in jail based on the visual evidence of a rape victim. DNA evidence later exonerated him. There are many such cases of wrongful imprisonment based on physical evidence. The certainty of the jury in passing sentence never suggested any shade of doubt that they might be wrong. It reminds me of the trial and imprisonment of Joseph in Egypt.
To live by the Spirit is to live by faith. The above scripture says with certitude that the Spirit of God has made his home in us. Praise God.

Storms of life

“Then it began to blow a great gale and the waves were breaking into the boat so that it was almost swamped.” (Mark 4: 37)
Expect storms: big storms, big trials, big troubles. They are the fact of life. One of the truths I learned some years ago after going to a life-changing retreat is that often after the mountaintop experience comes the valley. Expect it. I am just back from another life-changing retreat. As we filled the questionnaire after the retreat, one of the questions was: What would you like to see improved in the retreat. I lacked the inspiration to note that the organizers need to warm the participants of the mountaintop/valley experience. It is crucial.
“But he was in the stern, his head on the cushion, asleep.” (Mark 4: 38)
Whatever the trial, trouble or temptation, as soon as I notice the presence of Jesus, I become calm. No wonder why visits to the Blessed Sacrament in the period of deep stress ALWAYS has great calming effect on me. Many people witnessed to this too. The storm may be furious. But Christ is in control. Do not panic.
“Master, do you not care? We are lost!” (Mark 4: 39)
Power of prayer. In a crisis, the key is prayer. Remember Gethsemane? It is a model of prayer in a life-threatening situation. “Father, I am drowning. You can save me. But do so only if it is your perfect will. I know your will for my life is always excellent.”
“Quiet now! Be calm!” (Mark 4: 31)
Jesus calms the storm. No matter whatever the crisis, Christ has absolute power to subdue it.
“Why are you so frightened? Have you still no faith?” (Mark 4: 40)
Faith in Jesus Christ gives us access to his promises of: pardon, peace, power, purpose, protection and provision. You can call these, the 6 P’s of God’s promises.
The world says: “seeing is believing.” But the apostles have seen plenty of what Christ can do? After they received the Holy Spirit, their eyes opened to what Jesus had taught by word and example for three years: Believing is seeing. I believe therefore I will see.

Sin

God’s goodness provided everything for David.
“I anointed you king of Israel, I saved you from Saul’s clutches, I gave you your master’s household and your master’s wives into your arms; I gave you the House of Israel and House of Judah; and, if this is still too little, I shall give you other things as well.” (2 Samuel 12: 7 – 8)
Sin is contempt of God.
Mystery of sin – the forbidden fruit
“Why did you show contempt for Yahweh by doing what displeases him?” (2 Samuel 7:9)
Sin and punishment
“Your household will never be free of the sword, since you showed contempt for me and took the wife of Uriah the Hittite, to make her your wife.” (2 Samuel 12: 10)
Sin and restitution
“He shall make fourfold restitution for the lamb.” (2 Samuel 12:6)
Sin and repentance
“I have sinned against Yahweh.” (2 Samuel 12: 13)
Sin and forgiveness
“Yahweh for his part, forgives your sin; you are not to die.” (2Samuel 12: 14)
The temptation and fall of David took place after the Prophet Nathan’s prophecy about God’s plan for David and his lineage in 2 Samuel 7: 1 – 7. David who resisted the temptation to avenge himself on Saul when he had the opportunity to kill him easily fell to the temptation of adultery. It shows that every person has his weakness. Without God, we are nothing.

The Spirit and Human Nature

“This was so that the Law’s requirements might be fully satisfied in us as we direct our lives not by our natural inclinations but by the spirit. Those who are living by their natural inclinations have their minds on the things human nature desires; those who live in the spirit have their minds on spiritual things. And human nature has nothing to look forward to but death, while the spirit looks forward to life and peace, because the outlook of disordered human nature is opposed to God, since it does not submit to God’s law, and indeed it cannot, and those who live by their natural inclinations can never be pleasing to God.” (Romans 8: 4-8)
There are two ways to live:
• Natural inclinations
• Spirit
When we live by our natural inclinations, we work to satisfy the desires of human nature. Since the flesh has nothing to offer, there is nothing to look forward to from human nature than death. On the contrary, when we live by the spirit, our mind is set on spiritual things and we look forward to life and peace.
The man of lawlessness does not submit to the laws of God. His outlook on life is disordered and is opposed to God. We look at society today and ask the question: How many people fit this description?