Lamb of God

"Look, there is the Lamb of God." (John 1:36)

The Lamb is one of John's favorite images for Jesus. It is one that is full of meekness, gentleness and tenderness. Jesus is not the lion of God or the powerful warrior horse of God but rather the Lamb of God. Everything in the scripture is written to teach us some truth. Jesus is the image of God the Father. One of the purposes of His incarnation is to reveal to us the nature of the Father. Jesus is the God who is meek, gentle and tender. A God that appears ordinary and is very lovable.

Jesus as the Lamb of God is a concept we can all relate to: young and old, poor and rich, strong and weak. The New Testament has so many names for Jesus: Emmanuel, Prince of Peace, High Priest, Son of David, etc. The Lamb is one of the most tender descriptions of Jesus. It is an image of the power that created the universe presented as powerless.

Jesus is the Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the world. The Lamb that defeated the ferocious enemy, the ruler of the powers and principalities. The Lamb was slaughtered but now is alive forever more. Is it not amazing that the image of a lamb is used to portray the power that defeated Satan? God displays His mighty power through meekness, gentleness and tenderness, rather than through brutal force.

Lord Jesus, make us meek, gentle and tender lambs.

The Light of the World

"The Word was the light that enlightens all men." (John 1:9)

The Word is Jesus Christ. Jesus provides meaning for the life of man. This meaning is the light that guides us in dark places of the world. Without this light, we move in darkness and error. The Word gives meaning to the spiritual nature of man. He explains everything about man in relation to God.

There are two lights in the world: the light of the Word and the light of Satan, which is in reality darkness. This light is error; it distorts the image of man by trying to portray man as purely a material being. But Christ is the true light of the world. Where is this light? Where is Christ? Where Christ is, there is the light. Christ is alive in the Church; He is in His word; He is also in the sacraments of the Church. Christ is also anywhere two or three people are gathered in His name. It is obvious that we cannot perceive Jesus today with our physical eyes. We need faith to do so.

How do we apply this scripture today? The word of God is the true light that enlightens me on: health, family, food, tools, job and money. Any other light will lead me into error. When we ask prayerfully this question: What does the word of God say on health, family, job, food, money or tools, the answer we get will guide me to right action in relation to all these basic necessities of life.

Be Courageous

"I hereby command you: Be strong and courageous; do not be frightened or dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go."(Joshua 1:9)

Using a specific scripture at a critical moment brings power to the mind. God is present wherever His word is acknowledged with faith. To allow this power to flow to us at the moment of need, we feed our minds with God's word in periods when we are not pressed by tests. When we sow the word of God, we reap a harvest of courage and power during emergencies. Below are some scriptures that can be used as affirmations.

Some scriptures on courage:

WHEN YOU NEED TO BE BOLD AND DECISIVE:

Be strong and brave (2Sam 2:7)

Be strong and courageous: (Deut31:6, 7, 23; Joshua 1:6, 9, 18; 10:25; 2Sam 10:12; 13:28; 1Chronicle 22:13; 2Chronicle 32:7)

Be of good courage and act (Ezra 10:4)

Be strong and take courage (Psalm 31:24)

Those who trust in the Lord will fear no bad news (Psalm 112:7)

The righteous are bold as a lion (Proverb 28:1)

They spoke the word of God boldly (Acts 4:31)

God gives encouragement (Romans 15:5)

We do not lose heart (2Corinthians 4:1, 16)

Let us not lose heart (Galatians 6:9)

The bretheren have been encouraged to speak the word (Philippians 1:14)

 

 

WHY BE AFRAID IF THE LORD IS WITH YOU?

I will not be afraid of tens of thousands Psalm 3:6)

You will not be afraid (Psalm 3:24)

I will fear no evil (Psalm 23:4)

The Lord is my light, whom shall I fear? (Psalm 27:1)

He delivered me from all my fears (Psalm 34:4)

We will not fear though the earth change (Psalm 46:2)

You will not fear the terror by night (Psalm 91:5) You will not be afraid of arrow or pestilence (Psalm 91:5-6)

I will trust and not be afraid (Isaiah 12:2)

We have not received a spirit of bondage to fear (Romans 8:15)

God has not given us a spirit of timidity (2Tim 1:7)

I will not be afraid (Psalm 56:4, 11; Hebrews 13:6)

We are not those who shrink back (Hebrews 10 :38 - 39)

Perfect love casts out fear (1John 4:18)

See:
Some Books on Courage

Sickness and Diseases

"That evening they brought him many who were possessed by devils. He drove out the spirits with a command and cured all who were sick. That was to fulfill what was spoken by the prophet Isaiah:

He himself bore our sickness away and carried our diseases. (Matthew 8: 16-17)

Perhaps you are sick in your body at this moment or maybe just worried whether you may be able to keep the good health you enjoy right now till the end of life. Good health is one of the great riches of life. I have had experience of ill-health, some of them serious. Encouraged by stories of people who had overcome chronic disabilities, I became interested to learn how they did it. In the Gospels, we find instances of people that are sick seeking out Jesus for cure. They recognized Jesus as the source of good health.

Reasonable good health is possible for most people. Extraordinary good health is a fad which is impossible to attain. By extraordinary good health, I mean total absence of pain always and everywhere. Just as there are rules for success in anything, there are also rules for success with regard to health. Observe these commonsense rules: eat well, rest well, exercise well. Above this, trust Jesus as the Great Physician to give you the health you need to fulfill your purpose in life.

Whatever may be your situation, it is most comforting to realize that God, our Father has made concrete provisions concerning our health in His word. The key to enjoying His promises on health is to understand these promises as they apply to you; to trust God's word and to obey what they ask us to do.

Discipleship and Provision

Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Chuza, Herod's steward, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their means(Luke 8:2-3).

Women who benefited from the ministry of Jesus provided for His needs and those of His disciples. They provided for them "out of their means." The widow of Zarephath provided for Elijah out of her meager resources. God blessed this source and it never dried up.

This incidence is typical of God's arrangement for providing the future disciples of Christ. In the Old Testament, we see many instances of God providing for His servants through people. This principle was established with the Levitical priesthood. Elisha, the prophet was likewise provided for by a couple in the course of his work. In the New Testament, we find abundant examples from the works of the Twelve and St Paul.

What are the lessons for us? God makes adequate provisions for the needs of those who preach the gospel. God prefers a situation of weakness and dependence for His servants so that His wisdom and power can triumph through their work. God infact wants His collaborators in the work of salvation to imitate the simplicity of Jesus Christ. He appoints people to supply the needs of His workers.

How do the disciples of Christ today appropriate God's blessings and provisions for them? First, they must be aware of these provisions in the Bible. They must understand what God's word or promise is saying to their particular situation. Disciples of Jesus must believe his word and act on this word. Trust and obedience activate the power of the word.

Spirit and discernment of spirits

"My dear friends, not every spirit is to be trusted, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets are at large in the world. This is the proof of the Spirit of God: any spirit which acknowledges Jesus Christ come in human nature, is from God, and no spirit which fails to acknowledge Jesus is from God; it is the spirit of the Antichrist, whose coming you have heard of; he is already at large in the world." (1 John 4: 1 – 3)

Principles of discernment:

• "By their fruits you shall know them." (Matthew 7: 15 – 20)
  
• "Whoever keeps his word, the love of God is truly perfected in him." (1 John 2: 3 – 6)
  
• "Every spirit that acknowledges Jesus Christ come in the flesh." (1 John 4: 2-3)
  

The Spirit is the proof of God’s presence in us

"Whoever keeps his commandments remains in God, and God in him. And this is the proof that he remains in us: the Spirit that he has given us." (1 John 3: 24)

The presence of the Spirit is proof of God's presence in us. It is the proof that we are truly sons and daughters of God.

How do we know that the Holy Spirit is in us? How do we know that the wind is blowing? We see the effects of the wind. We see branches and leaves swaying. We notice flags on top of poles swaying. In a similar manner, we observe the effects of the Spirit in us. Some of the fruits of the Holy Spirit are:

• Peace and tranquility
  
• Joy and consolation
  

When we compare the before the indwelling of the Holy Spirit and the after, we see the clear difference.

The Word

"The law of your mouth is to me more precious than thousands of gold and silver pieces."

"(Psalm 119: 72).

How do we know for certain that God's word is more precious than silver and gold? God's word transforms ordinary humans into extraordinary beings. There are abundant proofs from the lives of many people. Their heroic lives had been recognized and many of them canonized as saints. The proof also come from the lives of dedicated Christians living among us. These individuals have the courage to test the life-changing principles in the Bible and confirm that they work. Their highly successful lives and achievements bear testimony to the power of God's word. God's word contains many promises each of which may be worth more than silver and gold, depending on our needs.

To discover the gold and silver in the word of God, read it as a personal letter. Read the word in order to act on its principles and so obtain what it promises.

How Apply the Word of God to your Problem:

• Define the problem.
  
• State two or more key words that are contained in your problem.
  
• Get a Bible Concordance and list all the references to your keywords.
  
• Take your Bible and write out all the references that bear directly on the problem.
  
• Focus on a number of texts that apply directly to you.
  
• Ask the Holy Spirit to show you how to apply the scripture.
  

The last step is critical: Understand what the scripture is saying to your actual situation. If you are not satisfied with the answer that you are getting, keep working on it until you are enlightened.

Believe the Bible text that God has revealed as answer to your problem. Belief may not come automatically. Like Peter, you can say again and again: "Lord I believe; increase my faith."

When you get a clear idea on concrete steps to take to solve your problem, act without hesitation. If you are not sure, wait until you get this clear signal. This is the most important step. "Faith that is firm is also patient." (Isaiah 28:16)

The Spirit of Truth

"The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify." (John 15: 26, 27)

"I have chosen you from the world to go and bear fruit that will last." (John 15: 16, 19)

"I will bear a witness to you in the world, O Lord. I will spread the knowledge of your name among my brothers, alleluia!" (Psalm 17: 50; 21: 23)

Are you confident?

"God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior." (Isaiah 12:2)

What makes the word of God so potent in transforming our weakness into strength? One good reason for me is the person behind that word or promise. We know that God cannot fail. We also know that God cannot lie. The Holy Spirit writes in Isaiah 12:2 "God indeed is my savior; I am confident and unafraid. My strength and my courage is the Lord, and he has been my savior." When we receive words like these with an open and trusting heart, incredible strength and courage is born within us. And we feel that we can do anything because of Him who gives us strength.

The Bible again and again urges us to have courage and not to be afraid. We need trust and courage as sons and daughters of God in order to claim our inheritance. Every father realizes this truth. Our Father in heaven knows that we cannot claim our rights as His children without trust and courage. If we believe that God is indeed our Savior and ever present help, then we should be confident and not be afraid. The life of love, praise and worship of our creator which is the very essence of the Christian life demands courage.

Abundant Life

"I have come that they may have life and have it to the full" (John 10:10)

We all desire to live abundantly, to achieve our potentials in life. The aim of education is to develop our talents to live to the full. Christ promises that He came that we may have abundant life. Experience shows us that this present life does not satisfy all our needs and does not last forever. Jesus must mean some other form of life in his promise of abundant life. He is talking of spiritual life, eternal life. A life that begins here and continues forever. Jesus achieved this life for us through His teaching, death and resurrection.

In another passage, Jesus says: "And this is eternal life, that they know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent" [John 17:3.4]. What then is eternal life? Why do we need it? Who gives eternal life and how is it obtained? When and where is eternal life given?

Man, created in the image and likeness of God has a spiritual nature. Eternal life is the life of the spirit that enables man to live as a son of God. Jesus Christ gives the life through His word and the Eucharist, that is, the gift of His Body and Blood. To obtain this life, we ask for it in faith and Jesus gives us through His Holy Spirit. If man lives to the full when he lives spiritually, it means that people without God cannot live to the full. To live to the full we need Jesus.

See:
Navarre Bible: St John

Spirit and Prayer

"So I say to you: Ask, and it will be given to you; search, and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives, everyone who searches finds; everyone who knocks will have the door opened. What father among you, if his son asked for a fish, would hand him a snake? Or if he asked for an egg, hand him a scorpion? If you then, evil as you are, know how to give your children what is good, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him." (Luke 11: 9 – 13)

Condition for receiving the Holy Spirit: desire and prayer – "Ask and you shall receive."

"Jesus Christ himself is the "Amen." He is the definitive "Amen" of the Father's love for us. He takes up and completes our "Amen" to the Father: "For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why we utter the Amen through him, to the glory of God." (Catechism of the Catholic Church # 1065)

When we ask God with faith for the Holy Spirit, we receive Him. St. Augustine writes: "May your Creed be for you as a mirror. Look at yourself in it, to see if you believe everything you say you believe. And rejoice in your faith each day."

Spirit and Joy

"Just at this time, filled with joy by the Holy Spirit, he said, 'I bless you, Father, Lord of heaven and of earth, for hiding these things from the learned and the clever and revealing them to little children." (Luke 10: 21)

• Spirit and joy
  
• Spirit and revelation
  
• Spirit and simplicity
  

Joyfulness, cheerfulness is a characteristic of a spirit-filled soul. The Spirit of Jesus delights to reveal the secrets of the kingdom to simple souls.

Spirit and Mission

"The Spirit of the Lord is on me, for he has anointed me to bring the good news to the afflicted. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to captives, sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free, to proclaim a year of favor from the Lord." (Luke 4: 18)

"The Spirit of the Lord is one" – Indwelling

"For he has anointed me…" - Qualifies, equips

The Spirit anoints, qualifies for a mission:

• To bring good news to the afflicted
  
• To proclaim liberty to captives
  
• To proclaim sight to the blind
  
• To let the oppressed go free
  
• To proclaim a year of favor from the Lord
  

 

Baptism of the Holy Spirit

"I tell you most solemnly, unless a man is born through water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God" (John 3:5).

The kingdom of God here and now is something we cannot experience without the Holy Spirit. An old Chinese proverb says: 'When the student is ready, the teacher appears.' The Holy Spirit is the Teacher and Friend who is standing by waiting for us to be ready and invite Him into our lives. Jesus says that we must be born through water and the Holy Spirit. Full acceptance of Jesus Christ ushers the Holy Spirit into our lives. This experience marks our entrance into the kingdom of God which starts here and now. We experience the kingdom of God when we practice justice, truth, love and self-control.

Jesus says that we need the Holy Spirit to succeed as Christians. We respond to this message of our Lord and Savior by seeking everyday, a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit to help us to overcome sin and give us the power to proclaim Jesus Christ with boldness.

Thank you Jesus for your promise to give the Holy Spirit to whoever asks for it. Give us the Holy Spirit, Lord.

See:
Navarre Bible: St John

Jesus and the Spirit

"Jesus, with the power of the Holy Spirit in him, returned to Galilee; and his reputation spread throughout the countryside. He taught in their synagogues and everyone glorified him." (Luke 4: 14 - 15)

It amazing and it is true that even Jesus worked with the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the greatest promise of God to man. It is a gift beyond compare. Christ, the God-man is endowed with the very best gift of God. He taught us to aspire to this gift. He promised that this gift will be ours without fail. God is waiting for the asking to fulfill it immediately.

When the Spirit comes and dwells in us, He will teach us all things we need to fulfill God's unique purpose for us. He will give us the power to fulfill this purpose.

The Spirit and Simeon

"Now in Jerusalem there was a man named Simeon. He was an upright and devout man; he looked forward to the restoration of Israel and the Holy Spirit rested on him. It had been revealed to him by the Holy Spirit that he would not see death until he has set eyes on the Christ of the Lord. Promoted by the Spirit he came to the Temple; and when the parents brought in the child Jesus to do for him what the law required, he took him into his arms and blessed God." (Luke 2: 25 – 27)

The Spirit and Simeon

• Habitat of the Spirit: devout and upright man; man of hope; man of expectation
  
• The Holy Spirit rested on him: Spirit indwelling
  
• The Holy Spirit revealed to him: Spirit and revelation; Spirit and knowledge
  
• Prompted by the Spirit: Spirit and inspiration; Spirit and guidance.

Christ Walk

A Story

WALKING WITH CHRIST

"And I am sure that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ"(Phillipians 1:6)

My heart beat a little faster as I read Ken's four-page letter about his worsening situation. To the admiration of his friends and collegues, he climbed the career ladder two steps at a time and after some years earned a promotion as a sales supervisor. After three years of long hours and overtime, Ken thought he deserved a raise. Instead, he received a pink slip when the company restructured. He resolved not to seek employment but started his own consulting firm. But success as a consultant proved elusive. Bills piled up. Desperation settled over his spirit like a thick blanket, nearly smothering him.

His Christian friends assured him that embracing Jesus was the solution to his growing list of problems. They motivated him by Jesus' promise of abundant life: "I have come so that they may have life and have it abundantly"? (John 10:10). Ken desired abundant life and prosperity.

Ken enjoyed Christian fellowship and met useful professional contacts. His business grew. Then tragedy struck. He became ill with gastric ulcers and could not work. He depleted his savings to pay off his mortgage. Suddenly without a financial safety-net, things tumbled from bad to worse. He totaled his uninsured car. A power surge fried his computer. His health continued to sour. Ken's second crisis stretched his friend's resources and some even abandoned him over his persistent problems. "Where was the promise of an abundant life"? He wondered aloud.

Ken's trials almost overwhelmed him. Ken's dilemma reminded me of Job's. He too lost everything -- but despite his loss learned that God can be trusted. Why do we seem to have more problems when we commit our lives to Christ?

Adversity can be a blessing in disguise: "My son, do not think lightly of the Lord's discipline, or be discouraged when he corrects you, for whom the Lord loves he disciplines; he chastises every son whom he acknowledges" (Hebrew 12: 5-6). Our trials are not the catastrophe we paint them to be. When we learn to trust God as Job did, even tribulations can bring their own reward.

An experienced Christian quoted St. Paul and explained that Ken's experience is normal. At the beginning of our walk with Jesus, we are spiritually fed with milk instead of solid food. Solid Christian doctrine helps us relish the joys and sorrows of following Jesus. We know that we can master all conditions by the power of Christ who gives us the strength.

God takes the initiative in calling us to Himself. He will complete the good work he has started in us. It is easy to walk with Christ for a week or a month, but walking with Jesus for the rest of your life requires the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is our help and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. St. Paul told a persecuted Church that God is the source of patience and encouragement. If we walk steadfast with Christ, then our tests become testimonies and our crosses become crowns.

Holy Spirit the Teacher

"But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you." (John 14: 26, RSV)

This promise is all inclusive. The Holy Spirit will teach me "all things" that I need for my labor of love. What He does not teach me, I do not need to know. The Holy Spirit will also remind me all that Jesus has said to me. This includes everything that Jesus said to me from my childhood to now. I remember one particular thing Jesus said to me as a young man which I call to mind every day:

"I promise to be your strength in proportion to the trust you place on me."

My response to this has always been: "Lord, you know that I want to place 100% trust in you so that I can enjoy your full strength in my life. Help me Lord to trust you completely in everything today."

Holy Spirit the Helper

"I will give them a new heart and put a new spirit within them; I will remove the stony heart from their bodies, and replace it with natural heart, so that they will live according to my statutes, and observe and carry out my ordinances; thus they shall be my people and I will be their God." (Ezekiel 11: 19 – 20)

Many years ago, I read a moving commentary on the above scripture from Catherine Marshall's book, The Helper. I hope she would not mind my sharing it here.

"The prophet Ezekiel foretold the two steps that must always take place before anyone of us can have the ability to cope with the evil in our world and to possess power for service:

First step is readying and cleansing process.

'A new spirit will I put within you.'

That is, God will, through the Spirit, renew and refresh our attitudes, convict us of sin, begin to teach us about obedience, change the thrust and climate of our inner beings. Thus he will be readying us for the crown and glory of his plan.

The second necessary step was clearly foretold by Ezekiel:

"And I will put my Spirit with you."

(The Helper, Catherine Marshall)

Catherine was the wife of Peter Marshall. Below is what Peter wrote on divine guidance:

"If God is to use us as His hands and feet and voice, it is just as necessary for Him to guide us geographically as in any other way. It does matter to God where we are at any given time."

Hungry for Jesus

"Happy are you who are hungry row; you will be filled!" (Luke 6:21)

• Hungry for the knowledge of Jesus
  
• Hungry for love of Jesus
  
• Hungry to serve Jesus
  
• Hungry for the friendship and companionship of Jesus
  
• Hungry to be fully supported by Jesus
  
• Hungry to have Jesus as security and doctor
  
• The promise: be patient. You will be filled.

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."

In all times and seasons

"I know indeed how to live in humble circumstances; I know also how to live in abundance. In every circumstance and in all things I have learned the secret of being well fed and of going hungry, and of living in abundance and of being in need. I have the strength for everything through him who empowers me." (Philippians 4: 12 13)

The most important lesson that Paul learned from the Lord Jesus is how to adjust to times and seasons. Times and seasons in our life are not arbitrary. They are divine appointment. All times and all seasons belong to Jesus. He is the Master of all history. Our destiny is in His hands. Therefore, "Fear is useless; what is needed is trust." (Luke 8: 50, Mark 5: 36)

Spirit and Liturgy

But the hour is coming - indeed is already here – when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: that is the kind of worshipper the Father seeks. God is spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4: 23 – 24)

There is an intimate relationship between the Holy Spirit and liturgy. Liturgy is the total expression of our worship of God. Is it surprising that the Holy Spirit will be central in the act of worship? He leads and guides it.

Provide me only the food that I need

Every word of God is tested; he is a shield to those who take refuge in him.

6

Add nothing to his words, lest he reprove you, and you be exposed as a deceiver.

7

Two things I ask of you, deny them not to me before I die:

8

Put falsehood and lying far from me, give me neither poverty nor riches; (provide me only with the food I need;)

9

Lest, being full, I deny you, saying, "Who is the LORD?" Or, being in want, I steal, and profane the name of my God.

 

The above scripture was the first reading at Mass this morning. When I read it before Mass, my reaction was: Yes Lord, I agree with the ideas. Give me exactly my daily bread. Shelter me from all anxiety, all fears and doubts about your willingness and ability to provide me all that I need as and when I do.

At the 6.30 am Mass, our Deacon preached on this theme. He recalled how he experienced a power outage the evening before as he ate dinner. Confident in the automatic generator he has, he waited for it to kick into service in seconds. But nothing happened. He went to his garage and found that the battery of his generator was dead. Lesson? Trust in the Lord completely for all your needs. Be diligent to provide all that you can. God, who is the first cause of everything ultimately has the final say.

Times and season may change but God’s love is constant

57

Bless the Lord, all you works of the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.

58

Angels of the Lord, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.

59

You heavens, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.

60

All you waters above the heavens, bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.

61

All you hosts of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

62

Sun and moon, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

63

Stars of heaven, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

64

Every shower and dew, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

65

All you winds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

66

Fire and heat, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

67

[Cold and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

68

Dew and rain, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

69

Frost and chill, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

70

Ice and snow, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

71

Nights and days, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

72

Light and darkness, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

73

Lightnings and clouds, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

74

Let the earth bless the Lord, praise and exalt him above all forever.

75

Mountains and hills, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

76

Everything growing from the earth, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

77

You springs, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

78

Seas and rivers, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

79

You dolphins and all water creatures, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

80

All you birds of the air, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

81

All you beasts, wild and tame, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

82

You sons of men, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

83

O Israel, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

84

Priests of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

85

Servants of the Lord, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

86

Spirits and souls of the just, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

87

Holy men of humble heart, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever.

88

Hananiah, Azariah, Mishael, bless the Lord; praise and exalt him above all forever. For he has delivered us from the nether world, and saved us from the power of death; He has freed us from the raging flame and delivered us from the fire.

56

Blessed are you in the firmament of heaven, praiseworthy and glorious forever.

Times and seasons are divine appointment. Times and seasons my change, but God's love is constant and unchanging.

The Spirit leads us to conversion

"For your imperishable Spirit is in everything! And thus, gradually, you correct those who offend; you admonish and remind them of how they have sinned, so that they may abstain from evil and trust you, Lord." (Wisdom 12: 1-2)

The Holy Spirit convicts us of sin. He admonishes us when we offend God. The Spirit teaches us the ways of God and invites us to trust God.

The Omnipresent Spirit

"For the spirit of the Lord fills the world, and that which holds everything together knows every word said." (Wisdom 1: 7)

Wisdom, knowledge and holiness are attributes of the Holy Spirit. He imparts these same gifts to people. The Holy Spirit is omnipresent, omniscient and omnipotent.

Spirit of holiness

"God, create in me a clean heart, renew within me a resolute spirit. Do not thrust me away from your presence, do not take away from me your spirit of holiness." (Psalm 51: 11)

The highest consequence of grave sin is losing the presence of the Holy Spirit in the soul. For anyone who is aware of this presence and has enjoyed it like David, it is an unbearable situation. Less grave sins or venial sins cause the diminution of the Holy Spirit in the soul. The Holy Spirit is the best promise and the best gift of God. In fact, the Holy Spirit is the only thing we need. God is the source of all inspiration and power. Inspiration and power come to us through the agency of the indwelling Spirit. David calls the Holy Spirit here, the Spirit of holiness. Indeed holiness is the original condition for inspiration and power.

Spirit of understanding

"There is, you see, a spirit residing in humanity, the breath of God conferring intelligence." (Job 32: 8 – New Jerusalem Bible)

The NIV renders it thus:

"But truly it is the spirit in a mortal, the breath of the Almighty, that makes for understanding."

The Holy Spirit gives understanding and knowledge.

The spirit of the antichrist

"My dear friends, not every spirit is to be trusted, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, for many false prophets are at large in the world. This is the proof of the spirit of God: any spirit which acknowledges Jesus Christ, come in human nature, is from God, and no spirit of antichrist, whose coming you have heard of; he is already at large in the world." (1 John 4: 1-4)

The spirit of antichrist works to deny the person and work of Jesus Christ. This is a critical principle of discernment of spirit. When we add to this another principle: "By their fruits, you shall know them," you have an unassailable battery of discernment of spirits.

The antichrist will diminish Jesus whenever and wherever he can. The good spirit bears witness to Jesus and spreads knowledge of His name everywhere.

Sorting out the spirits in the market place

"The particular manifestation of the Spirit granted to each one is to be used for the general good…….to another, the power of distinguishing spirits…" (1 Corinthians 12: 7 – 11)

Today more than ever we hear many voices not just in the market place but inside the household of God. The gift of sorting out these voices and their messages belong to the discernment of spirits. A good way to nourish this gift is to immerse oneself in sacred scripture. Jesus is the good Shepherd. He calls His sheep. They recognize His voice and follow Him.

Do not stifle the Spirit

"Do not stifle the Spirit or despise the gift of prophecy with contempt; test everything and hold on to what is good and shun every form of evil." (1 Thessalonians 5: 19)

Do not stifle the Spirit.

Do not sadden the Spirit.

Do not let the Spirit become weakened in you.

Cultivate the Spirit.

Gifts of the Spirit

"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 heathen 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)

The gift of discernment of spirits helps us to discern the will of God for us in concrete situations. The same gift can be used to discern the spirit inside a person. The above scripture gives a simple guideline. Nobody who causes Jesus can have a good spirit living within him. On the other hand, acknowledgment of Jesus as Lord is sign of the presence of a good spirit.

Do you want to exercise the gift of discernment of spirits, then fill your mind with the word of God. The word of God is filled with principles of discernment. One of my favorites is "By their fruits you shall know them."

The Spirit and love

"These sufferings bring patience, as we know, and patience brings perseverance, and perseverance brings hope, and this hope is not deceptive, because the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given us." (Romans 5: 4-5)

The love of God has been truly poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit which has been given to us. How I rejoice in this truth. Once upon a time, I considered myself the most selfish man on this planet. And then one day in a confession, a priest reminded me of this great truth. If the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of love is dwelling in you, how can you consider yourself the most selfish man on earth? I understood immediately that my idea of me does not make sense. The love with which I love is the love poured into my heart by the Holy Spirit. This love is so much unlike the love of the world. With the Holy Spirit in us, we love as God loves us. We love as God wants us to love. We love our neighbor as ourselves. We love the poor and the weak who have no means to say "thank you." This is the love the Holy Spirit pours into our hearts.

Simony

"When Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the imposition of the hands by the apostles, he offered them some money, "Give me the same power," he said, 'so that anyone I lay my hands on will receive the Holy Spirit." (Acts 8: 18-20)

The temptation of Simon, the magician is the lure to buy and sell spiritual favors. We cannot buy the Holy Spirit. We cannot buy spiritual gifts. We cannot purchase our salvation. All the promises of God are meant for us. They are freely given. We receive in direct proportion to our readiness to receive and our boldness in asking for the favor.

Holy Spirit and power to witness to Jesus

"God himself confirmed their witness with signs and marvels and miracles of all kinds, and by distributing the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the various ways he will." (Hebrews 2: 4)

The Spirit and His gifts

What power manifestation of the Spirit am I seeking today? I am seeking for power to witness to Jesus Christ in word and deed. St. Paul says in regard to this:

"Of course I can dare to speak only of the things which Christ has done through me to win the allegiance of the gentiles, using what I have said and done by the power of signs and wonders, and by the power of the Spirit of God." (Romans 15: 17-19)

What is say and what I do must bear witness to Jesus Christ. I am a work-in-progress.

No Holy Spirit No Conversion

"We know, brothers loved by God, that you have been chosen, because our gospel came to you not only in words, but also in power and in the Holy Spirit and with great affect." (1 Thessalonians 1: 4-5)

I paraphrase the above scripture thus: Although we used words to convey the message of the gospel, those words were imbued with power by the Holy Spirit. That is why they were very effective in your case.

When we share the gospel with people, the gospel is effective in proportion to the control of the Holy Spirit in the process. The more we let go and let the Holy Spirit, the more effective is our witness. The Holy Spirit is not just the power behind the words, He is the effective cause of conversion. No Holy Spirit, not conversion.

Convincing power of the Holy Spirit

"I came among you in weakness, in fear and great trembling and what I spoke and proclaimed was not meant to convince by philosophical argument, but to demonstrate the convincing power of the Spirit, so that your faith should depend not on human wisdom but on the power of God." (1 Corinthians 2: 4-5)

How do we demonstrate the convincing power of the Holy Spirit in our work of sharing the good news? First, we allow the Holy Spirit to take control. We do this by invoking His help through prayer. We call to mind what Christ said to Paul: "My grace is sufficient for you, for my strength is made perfect in weakness." (2 Corinthians 12:9) This truth banishes fear, doubt and worry from our mind.

There are only two ways we can work for God: through the energy of the flesh or through the convincing power of the Holy Spirit. The flesh is futile and has nothing to offer. All that we need is the Holy Spirit.

Spirit of signs and wonders

"So I can be proud in Christ Jesus, of what I have done for God. Of course I can dare to speak only of the things which Christ has done through me to win the allegiance of the gentiles, using what I have said and done, by the power of signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God." (Romans 15: 17 – 19)

The Holy Spirit is the prime mover in all works of evangelization. He produces signs and wonders in our life to help us win people for Jesus Christ. In Romans 15: 17 – 19, Paul probably refers to miracles as signs and wonders. Such miracles are reported in Acts of the Apostles. Signs and wonders continue to accompany the work of evangelization today. I would call great teaching or preaching that move people to conversion signs and wonders.

The Spirit and hope

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

Why is God described here as the God of hope? What is the implication of being rich in hope through the power of the Holy Spirit? What is hope?

The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines hope in paragraph 1817 as:

" Hope is the theological virtue by which we desire the kingdom of heaven and eternal life as our happiness, placing our trust in Christ's promises and relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit. "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful." "The Holy Spirit . . . he poured out upon us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that we might be justified by his grace and become heirs in hope of eternal life."

God has made us for Himself and our hearts are restless until they rest in Him. This is why God is the God of our hope. We are rich in hope when our faith in final union with God is unshakable. We believe we shall attain to this blessed hope "relying not on our own strength, but on the help of the grace of the Holy Spirit."

Holy Spirit is the power from on high

"And now I am sending upon you what the Father has promised. Stay in the city, until you are clothed with the power from on high." (Luke 24: 49)

The Holy Spirit is the greatest promise of God to man. He is the power from on high. There is a power from on high and a power from below.

Power is the dominant attribute of the Holy Spirit. What is power, anyway?

"Ability, whether physical, mental or moral, to act; the faculty of doing or performing something; capacity for action or for performance or receiving external action or force; capability of producing or undergoing an effect, whether physical, mental, moral."

Holy fruits

"The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will cover you with its shadow. And so the child will be holy and be called the Son of God." (Luke 1: 35)

What do we learn about the person of the Holy Spirit from the above scripture? First, He
is the power of the Most High. We already know that power is the dominant attribute of the Holy Spirit. So if you need power to live out God's purpose in your life, ask the Holy Spirit to help you. The opposite of power is powerlessness. We know friends who have great intentions and resolutions all the time but are always powerless to take the first step.

When the Holy Spirit is present in our life, we are guaranteed to produce fruits that are holy and worthy of the children of God.

The Holy Spirit and the power to do good

"God had anointed him with Holy Spirit and power, and because God was with him, Jesus went about doing good and curing all who had fallen into the power of the devil." (Acts 10: 38)

The highest form of blessing is the gift of the Holy Spirit. The anointing of Jesus with the Holy Spirit made an immediate impact on His ministry. He went about doing good and the anointing launched Him into His healing ministry.

The Holy Spirit gives us the power to do good. The Holy Spirit also gives us a share in the healing ministry of Jesus Christ. The fullness of this ministry is exercised in the priesthood through the Sacrament of Reconciliation and breaking open the word of God. The word of God releases the healing truths of God's word which can touch our hearts and minds where it hurts the most.

Holy Spirit and Witnessing

"It is not for you to know the times or dates that the Father has decided by his own authority, but you will receive the power of the Holy Spirit which will come upon you, and then you will be my witnesses not only in Jerusalem but throughout Judaea and Samaria, and indeed to earth's remotest end." (Acts 1: 8)

The dominant attribute of the Holy Spirit is power, power to witness to the person and mission of Jesus Christ. And power to become an active player in the world mission of Jesus Christ. Without the special anointing of the Holy Spirit, it will be impossible to accomplish either of these.

"I have chosen you from the world to go and bear fruit bear fruit that will last." (John 15: 16, 19)

"I will bear a witness to you in the world, O Lord. I will spread the knowledge of your name among my brothers, alleluia!" We need the Holy Spirit power to say this and to do it.

The tree and the fruit

"On the other hand the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control." (Galatians 5: 22 – 23)

A good tree produces good fruits. A bad tree produces rotten fruits. By their fruits, you shall know the tree. The word of God gives us in the above scripture an irrefutable principle of discernment. You want to know the man, look at his fruits. Discernment of spirits is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The more you know the word of God, the more you exercise this gift.

The little one

"Anyone who welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me and anyone who welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me." (Luke 9: 48)

Who is the little one? The poor, the weak, the marginalized, the undocumented immigrant. To serve them is to welcome the "little one" in the name of Christ.

"Whatever you do to the least of my brethren, you do for me."

The Church has a preferential option for the "little one" Watch out for the opportunity to do things for the little ones.

The New Jerusalem

"I shall bring them back to live in the heart of Jerusalem, and they will be my people and I shall be their God, faithful and just." (Zechariah 8: 8)

Lord, rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. Yahweh shall build me up. "If Yahweh does not build the house, they labor in vain who builds it." Yahweh shall bring me back to live in the heart of Jerusalem. Yahweh shall restore me to His favors.

Tax Collectors

"Amen, I say to you, tax collectors and prostitutes are entering the kingdom of God before you." (Matthew 21: 31)

The tax collectors and prostitutes heard the word of God and amended their lives. The members of the household of God heard the word of God and resisted conversion. Many are called but few are chosen.

Attitude of Christ

"Have in you the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 2: 5)

What specific attitude is Paul talking about in this scripture? Probably humility.

Christ set for us an inimitable example of humility in His life. Imagine the king washing the feet of his servants. Imagine the president serving the poor at table not just occasionally for the camera but for real. St. Louis of France whose feast is yesterday, 25^th of August had in him the same attitude that is also in Christ Jesus. He frequently served the poor at table.

Demonstration of power

"Father, you show your almighty power in your mercy and forgiveness. Continue to fill us with your gifts of love. Help us to hurry towards the eternal life you promise and come to share in the joys of your kingdom…." (Liturgical prayer on the 26^th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

How does God show His all compassing, awesome power? Through mercy and forgiveness.

How does man show his miniscule power? Through violence and destruction.

Renounce yourself

"If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross everyday and follow me." (Luke 9: 23)

From the list below, which does God wants us to renounce?

• Family
  
• Job
  
• Money
  
• Tools
  
• Health
  
• Food
  

Or some of everything?

The Holy Spirit will help us through the grace of the present moment to know what to renounce and to comply.

Wall of fire

"For I Yahweh declares – shall be a wall of fire all round her and I shall be the glory within her." (Zechariah 2: 9)

Yahweh shall be a fire wall round his people to protect and to guide them. But if God is a wall of fire round his people, why does evil seem to penetrate sometimes?

Christ's life, death and resurrection completely changed the definition of suffering for the Christian.

"Do not fear those who can destroy the body. But fear rather he who has the power to destroy body and soul in hell." The ultimate evil is sin and hell.

Who is Jesus Christ to me?

"But you, who do you say that I am?" (Luke 9: 20)

Who is Jesus Christ to me?

He is my God, my Savior, my King, my Boss, my best Friend and my Companion.

I am with you

"I am with you' declares Yahweh Sabaoth, 'and my spirit is present among you. Do not be afraid." ((Haggai 2: 4 – 5)

Yahweh is with me in this journey. And because Yahweh is with me, it is accomplished. I do not fear. Yahweh will rebuild the walls of Jerusalem. He will arouse the spirit of men to help me.

"Did I not tell you that if you believe, you will see the glory of God?" I believe Lord. I will not fear. The spirit of Yahweh is with me. He is helping me.

Anxious to see Jesus

"And he (Herod) was anxious to see him." (Luke 9: 9)

Why was Herod anxious to see Jesus?

• See miracles?
  
• Hear Jesus?
  
• Plain curiosity?
  

Whatever motive Herod might have for wanting to see Jesus, won't be great if at the end of each day, we could say, "I was anxious to see Jesus today." The bible promises: Search for Him and you shall find Him. Another person who was anxious to see Jesus was Zachaeus.

Money bag with a hole

"The wage earner gets his wages only to put them in a bag with a hole in it." (Haggai 1:6)

It is utter foolishness for a wage earner to put his hard earned money in a bag with holes in it. Yet, according to the word of God, this is what happens when we put our business first and God's business last.

The Lord says: "Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, all these things will be given you besides." (Matthew 6:33)

When we invest our gifts of time, talent and treasure, when we promote God's business first and not the last in our priority, the return on investment is a 100 fold in this life and in the life to come, everlasting happiness.

Power over evil

"He called the 12 together and gave them power and authority over all devils and to cure diseases, and he sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to heal." (Luke 9: 1-2)

We exercise power over devils when we reject evil in our life. When we help someone overcome the influence of evil in their life, we fulfill the injunction of Luke 9: 1 – 6. The word of God is the sword of the spirit. It is our weapon par excellence against the forces of darkness. Know the word, understand the word and use the word.

God revives depressed spirits

"And now, for a brief moment, the favor of Yahweh our God has allowed a remnant of us to escape and give us a stable home in his holy place, so that our God can raise our spirits and revive us a little in our slavery." (Ezra 9: 8-9)

Even in the midst of the most severe test and crisis, look for the finger of God ever ready to comfort and encourage us.

God punishes. He also revives. Our afflictions and punishment are temporary.

Using the gift

"On each one of us God's favor has been bestowed in whatever way Christ allotted it." (Ephesians 4:7) – Feast of St. Matthew

The choice! The call! The anointed!

What favor has God bestowed on Matthew, the tax collector? A tax recorder is now promoted to record the good news.

A marketing man now markets the good news.

"I have chosen you from the world to go and bear fruit that will last."

• "I will bear a witness to you in the world, O Lord. I will spread the knowledge of your name among my brothers, alleluia!" (Psalm 17: 50; 21 – 23)

A lamp on the table

"No one lights a lamp to cover it with a bowl or to put it under a bed." (Luke 8: 16)

How does the Lord light up the lamp that is us?

• Word of God
  
• The Eucharist
  
• The other Sacraments
  
• Prayer
  

The lamp is lighted to be put on the table to give light to the whole room. That room is our ministry field. This could be:

• Home
  
• School
  
• Work
  
• Play
  

Lord, lead us, guide us and use us.

Lord of History

"Yahweh roused the spirit of Cyrus King of Persia to issue a proclamation and to have it publicly displayed throughout his kingdom." (Ezra 1: 1)

Through the agency of Cyrus, God fulfilled His promise to end the exile of His people and send them home. God is the Lord of history. He is all powerful and all sovereign. Whatever He wants, He accomplishes. Nobody can stand in His way. It gives tremendous comfort to worship such a God. Through the Holy Spirit dwelling in us, we are confident to call such a God, our Father. Almighty God, I delight to call you Father.

No Unemployment in the Kingdom

"You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just." (From Matthew 20: 1 – 16)

There is no unemployment in the kingdom. Even for the worker who came to search for work very late in the day, there is work to be done. There is work for everybody at all times. I have found that this truth has helped me so much. God is the source of all inspiration and power. Jesus Christ is our Boss who says - "You too go into my vineyard, and I will give you what is just." (Matthew 20: 7) If we look up to Him with trust, He will provide work even in very lean times. That work may be study time or volunteer work that helps to prepare us for paid employment.

As high as the heavens are above the earth

"As high as the heavens are above the earth, so high are my ways above your ways and my thoughts above your thoughts." (Isaiah 55: 6 – 9)

God is all powerful, all wise and all sovereign. Is it surprising therefore to learn that we cannot grasp His thoughts nor wrap our mind around His providential designs? "Fear is useless; what is needed is trust." (Luke 8:50). Doubt is useless, what is needed is trust. Disputations, rationalizations are useless; what is needed is trust. Acceptance of this truth makes us receive with calmness all that happens in our life.

God guides creation in love

"Father, guide us as you guide creation according to your law of love. May we love one another and come to perfection in the eternal life prepared for use….." (Liturgical Prayer 25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

God guides creation with love. What about the hurricanes, natural disasters, wars, hunger, poverty, disease, crimes? There is the finger of God in all these. The providential design of God expressly ordains or permits everything that happens in the world. God is in control of His world. God is almighty, all wise and completely sovereign. Not a hair falls from our head without His knowing and permitting it.

Father, I delight to call you Father. I am confident of your promise of protection, provision, peace, power, purpose and pardon. Watch over me like the apple of your eye.

I will answer their cry

"I am the Savior of all people, says the Lord. Whatever their troubles, I will answer their cry, and I will always be their Lord." (Entrance Antiphon, 25^th Sunday in Ordinary Time)

God Himself is our Savior. Every man's Savior. Whatever our trouble, He will answer our cry. Most troubles in life fall into one of these categories:

• Family
  
• Health
  
• Job
  
• Money
  
• Tools
  
• Food
  

I have been in many troubles all my life but God has been always good to me. But what about the troubles I had cried to God and had not received the answer I expected? I can think of when I prayed for promotion and was fired. I think of another occasion when I asked for help from another organization and was asked to leave. Did God hear my prayer? Yes, of course He did. I know because of the peace I felt at the material time. I believe that God heard my prayer and provided the best answer. I saw this clearly some years after the event.

God provides the growth

"A sower went out to sow his seed." (Luke 8: 5)

The sower is Christ and the seed is the word of God. Today I am the sower and the seed is still the word of God. In this parable, Jesus presents a model for apostolic activity. The sower sows the good seed. The seed now needs to interact with the soil in order to yield harvest. Paul sows, Apollo waters and God provides the growth.

Lesson: do your best; do what is right and have peace. Have no anxiety at all.

Persevere in this

"I charge you to do all that you have been told, with no faults or failures until the appearing of our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Timothy 6: 14)

What have I been told?

The 7-Way Plan

Persevere in this!

Believe, expect and accept

"Women provided for them out of their own resources." (Luke 8: 3)

Women provided for Jesus and His disciples out of their own resources. This is divine appointment. What lesson does this teach us? God's providential plan for providing for our every need is often mysterious. Sources that may appear obvious may not be used. God's faithfulness in meeting our every need is echoed in Psalm 23 and reflected in many passages in the Scripture and Church teaching. But we must believe and expect and accept.

The word on money

"Religion of course, does bring large profits but only to those who are content with what they have." ( 1 Timothy 6: 6)

Three scriptures on Christian attitude on money and material things:

• "Be content with your pay." (Luke 3: 14)
  
• "Be content with the money you have." (Hebrews 13: 5)
  
• "Be content with what you have." ( 1 Timothy 6: 6)
  

This is God's word on money. How amazingly different it is with the word of man on money. The word of man tells us:

• Do not be satisfied with what you have.
  
• Seek for more. Ask for more. Fight for more. Work for more.
  

Lord, help us to be content with what you have given us.

Saved by faith

"You faith has saved you; go in peace." (Luke 7: 50)

Jesus said these words to the woman described as a "sinful woman" in Luke 7: 36 – 50. This woman's faith in Jesus brought her not only forgiveness of her many sins but spiritual healing as well. Faith is to accept God's word as true. Which word of God do I need to accept as true here and now?

• My sins are forgiven.
  
• God is my Father.
  
• God's providence is guiding, protecting and providing for me every moment of my life.
  

Lord Jesus, I believe. Help my unbelief.

Cultivate and tend to your garden

"Attend to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in both tasks, for by doing so you will save both yourself and those who listen to you." (1 Timothy 4: 16)

Tend to your garden every day. Do everything for the sake of God. Do and say everything as if God is watching you. Persevere in doing good. Salvation comes not by tending you garden one day but through persevering in tending it every day.

Perfected through suffering

"He learned obedience, Son though he was, through his suffering." (Hebrews 5: 7 – 9)

If we unite our sufferings with those of Christ, we too can learn obedience through our sufferings: pains, sickness, poverty, humiliations, delays, disappointments, obstacles or whatever suffering. Christ was perfected through suffering. We too can be perfected through suffering.

Lifted up

"As Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so must the Son of man be lifted up so that everyone who believes may have eternal life." (John 3: 14 – 15)

Scripture tells us that there is a divine necessity that Christ must be "lifted up", that means, suffering. His cross and death became a grave obstacle to belief for many people. But His cross is the ordained means of salvation. He who believes in Jesus must also believe in His cross. This is the means of salvation. No cross, no crown. No suffering, no salvation. Period!

The Triumph of the Cross

"Christ was humbler yet, even to accepting death, death on a cross." (Philippians 2: 8)

Jesus Christ submitted Himself willingly to suffering on the cross. He triumphed over death and suffering by His willing acceptance of the cross.

On the way to the Promised Land, "the people lost patience. They spoke against God and against Moses." (Numbers 21: 4 – 5)

The Church uses these two scriptures on the feast of the Holy Cross to teach us that without the cross, there can be not crown. The cross is the sign and the means of salvation. Accept the cross.

The lost patience

"On the way the people lost patience. They spoke against God and against Moses. (Numbers 21: 4 – 5)

Why did the people lose patience? They lost patience because the journey had become longer than expected and the perceived suffering more acute. God did not excuse their impatience and punished them for it. He teaches us a lesson in this event. If God is in control, then all is well. No complaint, no criticism, no condemnation will be tolerated.

Your word is sufficient

"But say the word and let my servant be healed." (Luke 7: 7)

The above scripture captures the amazing faith of the Roman centurion. Lord Jesus, I want the same faith. Give me the same faith. The centurion recognizes that Jesus' word is sufficient. O that I can come by such a faith!

Pillar and Foundation of Truth

"God wants everyone to be saved and reach full knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2: 14)

God desires not just the salvation of every human being. He wants every human being to enjoy the full knowledge of the truth.

The Catholic Church is "the pillar and foundation of truth." (1 Timothy 3: 15) The Church possesses in its entirety the whole body of truth necessary for our salvation and for living here and now the victorious life earned for us by Jesus Christ.

A forgiving heart

"So will my heavenly Father do to you, unless each of you forgives your brother from your heart." (Matthew 18: 35)

Lord Jesus, grant us forgiving hearts. Teach us to forgive completely and immediately no matter the injury.

Living and dying for Christ

Whether we live or die, we are the Lord's." (Romans 14: 8)

What does it mean to live and die for Christ? Jesus Christ becomes the raison d'être of every thought, word or deed. Is this possible? Humanly speaking no but with God all things are possible. St. Paul and other saints reached this level of spiritual development.

Forgiveness is good policy

"Forgive your neighbors' injustice, then when you pray your own sins will be forgiven. Could anyone nourish anger against another and expect healing from the Lord? Could anyone refuse mercy to another like himself, can he seek pardon for his own sins." (Sirach 28 : 2 – 4)

Forgiveness of the other is one of the keys to answered prayers.

In life, expect to suffer injustice and offences. These could be at times grievous. They can come from family, friends, co-workers, neighbors and strangers. Plan ahead for unconditional forgiveness no matter the injury. Forgiveness of the neighbor is the divine instruction from the above scripture from Sirach. It is also the teaching of Jesus Christ. It is pure divine wisdom.

Praying like the Church

"Father in heaven, creator of all, look down upon your people in their moments of need, for you alone is the source of our peace. Bring us to the dignity which distinguishes the poor in spirit and show us how great is the call to serve, that we may share in the peace of Christ who offered his life in service of all……" (Liturgical Prayer)

The Church is our mother and teacher. Our prayer life can improve enormously by watching the Church pray and imitating her words. Children learn language by looking at their mother form words and sentences.

The above prayer reminds us that God is the creator of all. All means things visible to us and also those things that are invisible. Technology has revealed the solar system in a way that nobody could have imagined. The same technology gives us an incredible view of life at the bottom of the ocean. Yet all these are less than 1% of creation. How about dominions, principalities and powers created by God which may never be captured by technology? We are certainly proud to call God, Father and Creator of all.

The above prayer also encourages us to call upon God at the moments of need. Jesus taught us to call God, our Father with confidence. We should not hesitate to do so always.

Hear the prayer of your servant

"Give peace, Lord, to those who wait for you and your prophets will proclaim you as you deserve. Hear the prayers of your servant and your people Israel." (Sirach 36: 8)

All good things come from God. We wait on God for the fulfillment of all our desires.

What am I waiting for today? I am waiting for the answer to the question: What is the purpose of my life? I know for sure that in the fullness of time, God will answer me.

Prayer is a mysterious encounter with God; prayer is a reciprocal call; prayer is a covenant drama. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 2567)

Jesus is the source of ministry

"I am grateful to him who has strengthened me, Christ Jesus our Lord, because he considered me trustworthy in appointing me to the ministry." (1 Timothy 1: 12)

Jesus Christ is the source of ministry. He is the one who calls. Before He calls us, He knew very well our resume. He will give us all that we need to succeed.

Be compassionate 2

"Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate." (Luke 6:36)

Compassion and mercy are key attributes of God. Jesus says to us: "Be compassionate as your Father is compassionate." Is it possible for us to be compassionate as God? It is possible if we give compassion in the same measure as we receive it. As we experience the mercy and love of God, we are to give the same for other.

Be thankful

"Always be thankful." (Colossians 3: 15)

Why should I be thankful here and now?

The 7-Wy plan is on course.

All things

"We know that all things work for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose." (Romans 8: 28)

Great scripture! Great word of knowledge! Tremendous word of comfort!

What are the "all things" working for good for me here and now? My mind thinks immediately of the 6 war zones:

• Health
  
• Finance
  
• Job
  
• Family
  
• Tools
  
• Food
  

If only I can exercise my faith in the God's word of promise in Romans 8: 28! O that I may hear His voice speaking to me now through Romans 8: 28 and not harden my heart.

"Unless your faith is firm you shall not be firm." (Isaiah 7:9) Lord, grant me a faith that is firm, firm enough to believe always that all is well, all shall be well and all manner of things shall be well.

Apostles

"When day came he summoned his disciples and picked out twelve of them; he called them apostles." (Luke 6: 13)

The twelve men chosen by Christ stayed with Him the whole time till His passion and death. They listened to His teaching and saw His miracles. They ate with Him and relaxed with Him. After the resurrection, He instructed the now eleven men to wait for the promise of the Holy Spirit. Before the descent of the Holy Spirit, they elected a man to take the place of Judas. After the Holy Spirit descended on them, they were ready to perform the work of Apostles. They were now sent forth to take the good news to the whole world.

We have the same Holy Spirit as the apostles. Lord Jesus, where do you want to send us today? Grant us a hearing heart and a docile spirit to respond fully to you tofsy.

Rooted in Christ

"So then, as you received Jesus, as Lord and Christ, now live your lives in him, be rooted in him and built up on him, held firm by the faith you have been taught, and overflowing with thanksgiving." (Colossians 2: 6 – 7)

The essence of Christianity is Christ Himself. The experience of Christianity is Christ in us, the hope of victory. To experience the victorious living that Christ living inside us makes possible, we must live in Him, be rooted in Him and built up on Him by means of prayer, daily reading of the word of God and the Sacraments, especially the Eucharist and Reconciliation. The Eucharist is the Sacrament of holy exchange whereby we live in Christ and Christ lives in us.

The grand plan

"I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work in you will continue to complete it until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1: 6)

God knows the best and has seen the whole pattern of weaving of my life. I trust Him to make a strategic match between my:

• Purpose
  
• Personality
  
• Position
  

 

Prayer Partnership

"For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them." (Matthew 18: 20)

I believe in prayer. I believe in the word of God. I believe in miracle. I leave the rest to God.

I believe in prayer of agreement. I believe in prayer partnership. I believe in the Communion of the saints. I enjoy the support of my prayer partners in my struggles in life.

One Authority

"Amen, I say to you, whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven." (Matthew 18: 18)

It is clear from the above passage that Christ left for the Church a clear authority to act. This conclusively shows His intention and desire that there be only one Church. In a situation of multiplicity of churches, there would be multiple and contradictory authorities as we see with the interpretation of the same scriptures. In a different scripture Jesus says:

"Whoever listens to you listens to me. whoever rejects you rejects me. and whoever rejects me rejects the one who sent me." (Luke 10: 16)

Proactive love

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself. Love does not evil to the neighbor; hence, love is the fulfillment of the law." (Romans 13: 9-10)

When I think of sins against love of my neighbor, I think of sins of commission and sins of omission. It is often the sins of omission that are most neglected. Love does no evil. True love should not just avoid evil but should be proactive.

O Holy Spirit, you are the principle of love. Fill us with your love. Teach us how to love. Love through us.