Holy Spirit

Today’s Gospel Text: And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned from the Jordan, and was led by the Spirit 2 for forty days in the wilderness, tempted by the devil. And he ate nothing in those days; and when they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become bread." 4 And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'Man shall not live by bread alone.'" 5 And the devil took him up, and showed him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time, 6 and said to him, "To you I will give all this authority and their glory; for it has been delivered to me, and I give it to whom I will. 7 If you, then, will worship me, it shall all be yours." 8 And Jesus answered him, "It is written, 'You shall worship the Lord your God, and him only shall you serve.'"  9 And he took him to Jerusalem, and set him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to him, "If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here; 10 for it is written, 'He will give his angels charge of you, to guard you,' 11 and 'On their hands they will bear you up, lest you strike your foot against a stone.'"  12 And Jesus answered him, "It is said, 'You shall not tempt the Lord your God.'" 13 And when the devil had ended every temptation, he departed from him until an opportune time. Luke 4:1-13

Reflection: It is the language we often use in spiritual circles: “full of the Holy Spirit” or to have a portion of the Holy Spirit”

We could have various situations of the Holy Spirit at work in the life of the Christian, depending on how much one allows oneself to be used by him.

The Holy Spirit is the humble Spirit of Jesus, whom the Scripture reports here that Jesus too was full of the Holy Spirit when he returned from the Jordan. (vs. 1)

Just as Christ came to serve and not to be served at similarly the Holy Spirit has chosen to be our servant, depending on our cooperation with God’s will.

  

“.. the spirits of prophets are subject to prophets. For God is not a God of confusion but of peace.” 1 Cor 14:32-33 

Otherwise we could be quenching the Holy Spirit which we have received at baptism when we do not know its working or when we do not allow him to use us as his instrument or if we walk in sinfulness, preferring to trust ourselves and others rather than God.

    

“Do not quench the Spirit.” 1 Thess 5:19

Today many of us Christians walk without a knowledge of the Holy Spirit and his working in their lives. Instead many have opted for programmes of self development and practice a spirituality which is alien to the Holy Spirit.

The scripture invites us to practice a spirituality that encourages us to walk by the Holy Spirit who has his own style of working or in other words; a God approved style:

   

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. Gal 5:25 - is a clarion call for the baptized. 

Prayer: Lord, help me to rediscover the working of your Holy Spirit, which I have received at Baptism and live according to his promptings and grace.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Baptism

Today’s Gospel Text: "I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled! 50 I have a baptism to be baptized with; and how I am constrained until it is accomplished! 51 Do you think that I have come to give peace on earth? No, I tell you, but rather division; 52 for henceforth in one house there will be five divided, three against two and two against three; 53 they will be divided, father against son and son against father, mother against daughter and daughter against her mother, mother-in-law against her daughter-in-law and daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law." Luke 12:49-53

Reflection: The baptism of Christ: How often should he go through a baptism process?

As Catholics we believe in one baptism, yet various kinds of baptism. So besides the baptism with water, we have here the mention of the baptism of fire or in Catholic circles referred to as the baptism of blood.  Then we also have the baptism of desire.

The Lord Jesus who underwent a baptism at Jordan at the hands of John the Baptist is now talking about another baptism which he has to undergo; a baptism of fire, which culminates in his ultimate death, beginning with his passion at Gethsemane.  

Was there a need for Jesus to undergo any of these baptisms?

It is we humans who are sinful before God who require a baptism and not Jesus. Being sinless all the baptism of Jesus are on behalf of mankind and for the salvation of mankind.

Hence Jesus who was sinless did not require to go through a baptism in order to achieve the end of baptism, which is eternal life, accomplished through dying in the waters of the font and rising to new life in him.

Since Jesus in every way submitted to the cruelty of the effects of sin, which brings about death and thus necessitates baptism, we through him have peace with God and eternal life.

Baptism is not a once and for all action but rather an ongoing process with its grace at work in us. It is an invitation to die to our old selves corrupted by sin and live for Christ, who conquered and has gone ahead of us preparing a place for us.

Prayer: Lord, help me live the grace of baptism in daily life by constantly seeking to die to my many desires that are detrimental to life and according to your wisdom.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

The Holy Spirit

Today’s Gospel Text: "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property; 15 to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability. Then he went away. 16 He who had received the five talents went at once and traded with them; and he made five talents more. 17 So also, he who had the two talents made two talents more. 18 But he who had received the one talent went and dug in the ground and hid his master's money. 19 Now after a long time the master of those servants came and settled accounts with them. 20 And he who had received the five talents came forward, bringing five talents more, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me five talents; here I have made five talents more.' 21 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' 22 And he also who had the two talents came forward, saying, 'Master, you delivered to me two talents; here I have made two talents more.' 23 His master said to him, 'Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a little, I will set you over much; enter into the joy of your master.' 24 He also who had received the one talent came forward, saying, 'Master, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you did not sow, and gathering where you did not winnow; 25 so I was afraid, and I went and hid your talent in the ground. Here you have what is yours.' 26 But his master answered him, 'You wicked and slothful servant! You knew that I reap where I have not sowed, and gather where I have not winnowed? 27 Then you ought to have invested my money with the bankers, and at my coming I should have received what was my own with interest. 28 So take the talent from him, and give it to him who has the ten talents. 29 For to every one who has will more be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who has not, even what he has will be taken away. 30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness; there men will weep and gnash their teeth.' Matt 25:14-30

Reflection: Ability is the quality of being able to do something, especially the physical, mental, financial, or legal power to accomplish something; hence it is said, “each according to ones ability.”

How foolish it is when sometimes people use the term talent interchangeably with ability. The Scripture tells us that the master assigned the talents each according to one’s ability: “…. to one he gave five talents, to another two, to another one, to each according to his ability.” (vs. 15)

What could this talent be that the master assigned to his servants?

The preceding verse reveals to us that the talent was the personal property of the master: "For it will be as when a man going on a journey called his servants and entrusted to them his property.” (vs. 14)

There is no doubt that the parable opens up to us, in all wisdom, the things of the kingdom of God and the insights thereof.

Hence, if the master is offering us his personal property and we were to apply this to the Kingdom of God, then we can rightly ask; what is that personal property which God wants to entrust to his servants, if it is not his Holy Spirit.

Hence, St. Paul in scriptures says; 

 “To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good. To one is given through the Spirit the utterance of wisdom, and to another the utterance of knowledge according to the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by the one Spirit, to another the working of miracles, to another prophecy, to another the ability to distinguish between spirits, to another various kinds of tongues, to another the interpretation of tongues. All these are inspired by one and the same Spirit, who apportions to each one individually as he wills.” 1 Cor 12:7-11

  

What then is Apol'los? What is Paul? Servants through whom you believed, as the Lord assigned to each. 1 Cor 3:5

    

But grace was given to each of us according to the measure of Christ's gift. Eph 4:7 (for further reading: Eph. 4: 11-16)

    

Finally when the Lord will judge, each one accordingly: “… all the churches shall know that I am he who searches mind and heart, and I will give to each of you as your works deserve.” Rev 2:23

Prayer: Lord, you have entrusted to me your talents at Baptism, help me not to quench your Holy Spirit nor bury him, but instead seek to be his instrument for the common good.”

DD = Dedicated Discipleship:  Come grow in the Lord with us

Mary's Closeness

Scripture: And when the days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought Him up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord ²³ (as it is written in the Law of the Lord, “EVERY firstborn MALE THAT OPENS THE WOMB SHALL BE CALLED HOLY TO THE LORD”), ²⁴ and to offer a sacrifice according to what was said in the Law of the Lord, “A PAIR OF TURTLEDOVES OR TWO YOUNG PIGEONS.” Lk. 2:2 :22-24

Reflection: The dogma of the Immaculate Conception states that Mary was free from the stain of original sin. Hence Mary was sinless and likewise we know of Christ Jesus to be the sinless one.

If this is so then why did Mary and Jesus have to offer sacrifices for purification? They were both sinless as per the catholic doctrine.

In the light of the Catholic doctrine and from scriptural evidences it becomes obvious that Mary was closely united with the mission of her Son in every way and hence had to go through the submission process, under the law, in order to fulfill all righteousness. 

The baptism of Jesus at a particular time in the life of Jesus is symbolic of his entire life; Baptism signifies an ongoing submission and death process.

Prayer: Lord, as you seek to work out your sanctifying grace offered in baptism grant me wisdom to never lose sight of the eternal reward of being with you.

DD = Dedicated Discipleship: Come grow in the Lord with us