Belief in Jesus

"Do you believe in the Son of man?" (John 9:36)

When Jesus asked this question to the man who had been born blind, the blind man responded in the affirmative because he understood the question. If Jesus asks you: What does belief in the Son of man mean to you? Would your answers include: Jesus is my Lord and God, my Savior and Redeemer, my King and Boss, my Friend and Companion?

Jesus' intervention in the life of the blind man gave him back his sight and gave him faith as well. In a literal sense, he experienced Jesus as his savior and redeemer. Has Jesus made any interventions in your life that touched your faith?

Some years ago, while working in Paris, I had a work-related problem that needed a miracle. I prayed and prayed and was given this scripture: "Do not be afraid! Stand firm, and you will see what Yahweh will do to rescue you today: The Egyptians you see today you will never see again. Yahweh will do the fighting for you; all you need to do is to keep calm" (Exodus 14: 13-14). I clung to this scripture as a drowning man clings to any object. God turned around my situation and produced a miracle that made many people praise Him. This event uplifted my faith enormously. Jesus rescued me from a certain career disaster. He was indeed my Savior and Redeemer.

The blind man's adversity has brought him something greater than physical vision. He now had a Lord and God who is his personal Savior and Redeemer. God intervenes in our life to save us from sin and evil in order to strengthen our faith.

"Do you believe in the Son of man?" (John 9:36) Yes, Lord. Strengthen my faith

Sin and Slavery

"I tell you most solemnly, everyone who commits sin is a slave....So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed" (John 8:34, 36)

Sin is slavery to passion: food, drink, sex, money, etc. The law of compulsion is at work whenever sin is committed. Compulsion or impulsiveness is the opposite of freedom. If the sin is alcohol, it acts like this: 'Look, I am here. Come and drink your fill.' Or if it is money,: 'I am here. Use me now to fulfill yourself.' The person concerned cannot say no because of lack of freedom.

Jesus came to set us free from this compulsion and impulsion to act sinfully. When sin as alcohol says to us: 'Come and drink me.' We can respond: 'Christ said: 'Man does not live by drink alone. There is life for him in every word that comes from the mouth of God." For every temptation, Jesus has given us a script for it. As good actors, we should be aware of these scripts and use them appropriately. Jesus gives us genuine freedom through His word. His word exposes the lies and errors of temptations such as alcohol, food, sex or money. When we are tempted to turn "these stones into bread", we know how to respond.

Lord Jesus, make us truly free.

The Word makes disciples

"If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free" (John 8:31)

One of the most popular sayings from the Bible is: "The truth shall make you free." I knew of this quotation before I came to read it in the Bible. We all love freedom. Today more than ever, there are so many things that enslave us: Money, sex, television, alcohol, drugs, food, tobacco, pornography, cars, gadgets and so on. A number of businesses have grown rich on promises to liberate us from our dependencies, addictions and distractions.

Jesus promises that knowing His word will lead to knowledge of the truth. Truth comes into the mind as light to chase away error or darkness that causes sin, ignorance and death. Truth frees us from fear: Fears of ill-health, lack of money, opinion of people; fears of no job and its consequences. These subtle fears drive us to addictions.

How many people are genuinely free today? "Those who rush to other gods bring many troubles on themselves" (Psalm 16:4). These tin gods: money, alcohol, sex, food, etc exploit our weaknesses, enslave us and bring so much unhappiness to our lives. How can we be free? Feeding the mind with the words of Jesus Christ will make us free. "If you make my word your home you will indeed be my disciples, you will learn the truth and the truth will make you free" (John 8:31)

The Right Time

"The right time for me has not come yet, but any time is the right time for you." (John 7:6)

When the brothers of Jesus urged Him to manifest Himself openly in Judaea, Jesus told them that the time is not right for such a show. Have you ever been under pressure to act? Subtle pressures to act 'now'; 'to show yourself to the world' have troubled me in the past.

When you need to make a critical move in your life, success depends on timing. How do we recognize the right time? The Master is teaching us in John 7:6 that there is time for everything. To succeed, we must align ourselves to God's will and time-table. But how do we find out God's time on any issue?

Christ never took any major step in His life without prayer. He spent the night in prayer before He chose His the twelve apostles. Seeking God's will implies readiness to wait for it. "Faith that is firm is also patient." (Isaiah 28:16). When we wait for God's light and guidance after prayer, He never fails to manifest it. He does this through various means. Once we receive this guidance, then, "Do whatever he tells you." We can then act in confidence, certain that this is God's right time for us.

The Spirit gives life

"It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer" (John 6:63)

To experience joy, peace, happiness and contentment is to be alive in the Spirit. The Holy Spirit who is in us makes this condition possible. After we have received the Holy Spirit through baptism, the Spirit maintains His life in us through His word and through the sacraments especially the Eucharist. These are two most important means for building up the body of Christ.

The Holy Spirit transforms the ordinary bread and wine we bring to the altar during the Eucharist into the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ for the life of the soul. The word of God gives spiritual life to man. So does the Bread of life. To have real life, the life that endures, man must partake of the Word of God and the Bread of life.

"It is the Spirit that gives life, the flesh has nothing to offer" To connect to the Spirit, make your home in the word of God and eat and drink the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ often.

Bread of life

"I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never be hungry; he who believes in me will never thirst" (John 6:35).

There are few sources of pleasure in life that could rival food. One saying has it that love enters through the stomach. Food was a major cause of conflict between God and His people during their forty years of journey through the desert to the Promised Land. We are familiar with food riots in homes, schools, prisons and even in societies. Happiness, fulfillment, eternal life have been presented frequently through the images of food, drink and banquet in the Bible. When Jesus said: "I am the bread of life", He chose a very powerful symbol in which to reach man. Jesus indeed is the bread of life. Under the appearance of bread and wine, He gives us Himself in the Eucharist.  How do we know that this is true?  This is the very word of Jesus.  This is an explicit promise.  The original people who heard this knew that Jesus was not being metaphorical.  Their reaction showed what their understanding was.  Secondly, the Church had believed this from the very beginning.  The Church believes it today.  The Church will believe this till the end of time.

When we come to Jesus in Holy Communion, what do we seek? Christ promises us two things explicitly in the Eucharist. If we come to Him, we will never be hungry and we will never know thirst. "Man does not live by bread alone, there is life for him in every word that comes from the mouth of God."  The natural man has great hunger and thirst for material things. The genuine bread, 'the bread of life' will gradually free man from excessive appetite for material food and drink.

Do not be afraid

"They had rowed three or four miles when they saw Jesus walking on the lake and coming towards the boat. This frightened them, but he said, 'It is I. Do not be afraid" (John 6: 19-20)

Jesus is in every event in our life. In these verses, He is saying to us: 'Do not be afraid. I am present.' How can we make this truth serve us? In the midst of the stormy events of life, how do we call to mind the sure presence of Jesus? One way is to cultivate the presence of Jesus through the Jesus prayer. Form the habit of using the name of Jesus as affirmation. Whenever you mention that name, sense His presence.

Jesus is present in us through the Holy Spirit. How can we be sure of this? Because of the peace and tranquility we enjoy. When trial comes to us and we forget the presence of Jesus with us, we become afraid. We feel that we are in control of events and we feel so inadequate. Jesus wants us to know: "I am here. Do not be afraid."

How can we be constantly aware of the presence of Jesus? The words of Jesus bring peace and comfort in troubles. When we immerse ourselves in these words during calm weather, we could recall them easily during storms. Using the name of Jesus, which is Jesus prayer is the simplest but the most powerful type of prayer. It brings calm.

Jesus! "Yes, I am here. Do not be afraid."

My food is the will of God

"My food is to do the will of the one who sent me, and to complete his work" (John 4:34).

The Father sent Jesus to redeem the world from sin. Christ understood His mission perfectly. Fulfilling this mission gives His life sustenance as food does to the body. "Man does not live on bread alone. There is life for him in every word that comes from the mouth of God" (Matthew 4:4). Word of God and Will of God are the same thing.

Food apart from sustaining us, gives pleasure. Doing God's will give Christ the maximum pleasure. How about us?

The loving Father is always communicating with His children. He is eager to let us know His will in every situation. Psalm 40:8 tells us: "Your instructions for me are in the book of the Law" (GNB). If we follow these instructions, we find as Christ did that doing God's will can be food and drink to our life. Jesus left us this teaching and example. Our fulfillment, joy, peace and prosperity lie in following this instruction and example.

O Holy Spirit, lead and guide us to discern God's will for us in every situation.

True Worship of God

"But the hour will come – in fact it is here already - when true worshippers will worship the Father in spirit and truth: This is the kind of worship the Father wants." (John 4:23)

Genuine worship of the Father will be in spirit and truth. The Holy Spirit in us will lead us to the true worship of God. The Holy Spirit inspires and teaches authentic Christian doctrine and worship.

"God is spirit, and those who worship must worship in spirit and truth" (John 4:24). To worship God properly, we must recognize our spiritual nature and close the doors to the evidence of our senses. Our senses which represent materiality can be obstacle to genuine worship. For example, closing the eyes facilitates prayers for many.

Father, grant us the Holy Spirit so that we can worship you properly.

God loved the world so much

"Yes, God loved the world so much that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not be lost but may have eternal life" (John 3:16).

Jesus is the expression of God's love for the world. When we are asked: How do you know that God loves the world? We point to Jesus. The presence of Jesus in our lives is the concrete evidence of God's love for us.

Jesus is present in everyone who believes in Him. Belief in Jesus means we accept Jesus as the light of our life, the center of our being, the meaning of our life. Faith in Jesus implies that we agree freely to walk by His light. This light is provided by the Gospels. We allow every detail of our life to be touched by this light. Acceptance of Jesus signifies knowing Jesus intimately, loving Him passionately us and committing ourselves to follow Him everywhere.

Born again

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.

Names of Jesus

My Top 10 Names of Jesus

"Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,' which means, 'God is with us" (Matthew 1:23).

Jesus Christ is called by many names and titles in the Bible. All the names are significant. The ten names below are my favorite names for Jesus.

1. Emmanuel: "Look, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall name him Emmanuel,' which means, 'God is with us" (Matthew 1:23).

2. Alpha and Omega: "I am the Alpha and the Omega,' says the Lord God, who is, who was, and who is to come, the Almighty (Revelation 1:8).

3. Lamb of God: "Look, there is the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world."(John 1:29).

4. Kings of kings: "He is the blessed and only Sovereign, King of kings and Lord of lords." (1 Timothy 6:15).

5. Prince of Peace: "And this is the name he has been given, 'Wonder-Counselor, Mighty-God, Eternal-Father, Prince-of-Peace" (Isaiah 9:5).

6. Teacher: "Rabbi, we know that you have come from God as a teacher" (John 3:2).

7. Living One: "I am the Living One" (Revelation 1:17).

8. Bread of life: "I am the bread of life" (John 6:48).

9. Faithful Witness: "Grace and peace to you from him who is, who was, and who is to come ...and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness" (Revelation 1:5).

10. Light of the world: "I am the light of the world" (John 8:12).

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)