Filled with the Holy Spirit

"Now it happened that as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary's greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit." (Luke 1: 41)

Those who were filled with the Holy Spirit in the Infancy Narrative of the Gospel:

Jesus, John the Baptist, Mary, Elizabeth, Simeon

What is the significance of being filled with the Holy Spirit? "Filled with the Holy Spirit" means controlled by the Holy Spirit, inspired and empowered by the Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the greatest promise of God to man. "All you need is the Holy Spirit."

When I am afraid 2

When I am afraid

 

"Master, do you not care? We are going down! And he woke up and rebuked the wind and said to the sea, 'Quiet now! Be calm!' And the wind dropped, and all was calm again. Then he said to them, 'Why are you so frightened? How is it that you have no faith?" (Mark 4: 39 – 40)

 

"When I am afraid, I put my trust in you,

In God, whose word I praise,

In God I put my trust and have no fear,

What power has human strength over me?" (Psalm 56: 3 -4)

 

"God is our refuge and strength,

A very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth

Should change,

Though the mountains shake in the heart of the

Sea;

Though its waters roar and foam,

Though the mountains tremble with its tumult." (Psalm 46: 1 – 3)

 

"Therefore let all who are faithful

Offer prayer to you;

At a time of distress, the rush of mighty waters

Shall not reach them.

You are a hiding place for me;

You preserve me from trouble;

You surround me with glad cries of deliverance." (Psalm 32: 6 – 7)

 

"The Lord is my light and my salvation;

Whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life;

Of whom shall I be afraid?

When evildoers assail me

To devour my flesh –

My adversaries and foes –

They shall stumble and fall.

Though an army encamps against me,

My heart shall not fear;

Though war rise up against me,

Yet I will be confident." (Psalm 27: 1 – 3)

When I am afraid

"Then my enemies will turn back.

On the day when I call

This I know that God is on my side,

In God whose word I praise,

In Yahweh whose word I praise,

In God I put my trust and have no fear;

What can mortal man to me?

(Psalm 56: 9 – 11 – NJB)

 

When I am afraid,

I will say the Lord's Prayer.

The prayer which Christ taught us;

The Prayer which the Church teaches us to pray with confidence;

I will say the Lord's Prayer and I shall not be afraid.

What can mortal man do to me?

Holy Spirit the cause of fruitfulness

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow." (Luke 1: 35)

These are the words of the Archangel Gabriel to a young virgin, Mary of Nazareth. The Holy Spirit did indeed cover Mary with its shadow and Mary became the Mother of Jesus the Christ. What difference does this make? The significance is that we like Mary can become immensely fruitful when we let in the Holy Spirit.

Come O Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of the faithful. Come and kindle in us the fire of your divine love.

Filled with the Holy Spirit from the womb

"He will be your joy and delight and many will rejoice at his birth, for he will be great in the sight of the Lord: he must drink no wine, no strong drink; even from his mother's womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit." (Luke 1: 15)

The above scripture is about St. John the Baptist. A number of striking predictions are made about him before his birth:

• He will be great in the sight of the Lord.
  
• He must drink no wine, no strong drink.
  
• From his mother's womb he will be filled with the Holy Spirit.
  

No wonder Jesus praised St. John the Baptist as the greatest man ever born of woman. No wonder the Church honors him with a number of feasts. All the signs of an eminent individual and career were predicted about John before his birth. It is wonderful to note that he lived and died as expected. Eminently great!

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

"John baptized with water but, not many days from now, you are going to be baptized with the Holy Spirit." (Acts 1: 5)

The Holy Spirit unleashes His gifts on us in proportion to our desire and welcome. The effects of the Sacrament of Confirmation are many:

The effects of Confirmation: May 19, 2009 CONFIRMATION / GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT 9

1. Confirmation brings an increase and deepening of baptismal grace:
   
2. It roots us more deeply in the divine filiation which makes us cry, "Abba! Father!"
   
3. It unites us more firmly to Christ.
   
4. It increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit in us.
   
5. It renders our bond with the Church more perfect.
   

   
    

   􀂾It gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as true witnesses of Christ, to confess the name of Christ boldly, and never to be ashamed of the Cross."