Source: http://www.spiritaflame.org/2017/05/
Timestamp: 2019-04-20 02:39:04+00:00

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strength the small and the weak who believe in him.
positive signs of God's love and presence instead!
Pentecost was one of three solemn Jewish feasts for which the people were to go on pilgrimage to the Temple to worship God. Originally, it was a time to give thanks to God for the harvest. Later, it was also a time to thank God for the Mosaic Law. It was held fifty days after the Feast of the Passover.
The place they gathered in was the same Upper Room where Jesus instituted the Eucharist and where he appeared to them after the Resurrection.
And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
Both wind and fire were used as symbols of the Spirit of God. Usually they manifested the power of God.
In the Old Testament when God established the covenant on Mt. Sinai, fire was a symbol of God’s presence. Jesus has established the New Covenant and the symbol of the tongues of fire manifests the anointing power of the Spirit enabling the apostles to do the work Jesus commissioned them to do.
Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit. This is the fulfillment of those promises.
When were you first filled with the Holy Spirit? Even though there were not the same external manifestations, what happened to you?
What does it mean "to be filled with the Holy Spirit?"
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
The people from various lands and cultures were amazed because they heard the ecstatic prayer of the apostles and the 120 but in their own native languages. Can you imagine if some of the hearers spoke several languages, how amazed they must have been?
The nations listed by Luke virtually covered every territory of the world known to Luke at the time.
Other reflections? What action do you feel you need to take in your life?
"Simple in himself, the Spirit is manifold in his mighty works.
to God's revelation, we are called to be filled with the Spirit.
to reflect on our personal relationship with the Holy Spirit.
with your gift of discernment!
V. Holy Mary, Seat of Wisdom, R. Pray for us.
V. Holy Mary, Queen of Peace, R. Pray for us.
V. Holy Mary, Cause of our Joy, R. Pray for us.
Day Four - Spirit of Counsel, grant that I may always seek your guidance, that my thoughts and actions may be informed by good judgment, and that whenever my advice is sought by others, it will be offered with kindness, prudence, truth, and in accordance with God’s will.
V. Mother of Good Counsel, R. Pray for us.
V. Holy Mary, Queen of Martyrs, R. Pray for us.
V. Mother of God, our Mother, R. Pray for us.
V. Immaculate Mary, Help of Christians,　R. Pray for us.
All: Holy Spirit, powerful Consoler, sacred Bond of the Father and the Son, sweet Hope of the afflicted, Descend this day into my heart and establish therein your amiable empire. Enkindle in my soul — alas! so tepid! — the salutary flames of your love, that I may be inflamed and that my soul and body may be subject to \you. I believe that when you dwell in us, you prepare a dwelling for the Father and the Son. Deign then to come to me.
Make me all that you wish me to be, and conduct me by your grace, so that I may be ever pleasing to you.　Amen.
temptation. If one struggles with impatience, the remedy is to consciously choose to pray for that person who aggravates me in love. We can pray for patience but it comes from exercising to be patient that begins to make the difference.
Why Galilee? This is where they experienced their first call to be disciples. Now Jesus is sending them on their future mission.When they saw him, they worshiped, but they doubted. Why would they doubt? They still are overwhelmed by the reality of the Risen Jesus. They see and touch him but how can this possibly be? Then Jesus approached and said to them, By approaching them, Jesus wants to alleviate their doubts that it is not a ghost they are seeing, but the Risen Christ in his glorified flesh."All power in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Though his death and resurrection and in his role as Jesus, the Christ, he receives power from the Father. He is the Lord of all.
This is line with Jesus telling the disciples earlier that he has received all from the Father in his humanity. Thus, he speaks the words of the Father and does the deeds of the Father in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Jesus now conveys his power and authority on the apostles to preach, baptize and make disciples. Earlier on Easter Sunday, at his first appearance to them, he told them: "As the Father has sent me, so I send you." Then he breathed on them the Holy Spirit.
Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. He gives them three commissions united in one.
As he discipled them, so now they are to disciple others in his name. They are to do this by first witnessing to and evangelizing others in his name.
Then they are to baptize them in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This will enable them to free from alienation from God, share in the divine life of God and be rooted in the community of believers.
Then they are to catechize the disciples by teaching them what Jesus taught and did.
And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age." Jesus promises to remain with them as they fulfill their mission. He will always be the Lord of their lives. He will send the Holy Spirit also to be with them, guiding them in the proclamation of the truth of salvation. Jesus will strengthen them through the gift of his Body and Blood.
brought condemnation to the ruler of this world, the Devil. The Holy Spirit continues to give us the power of Jesus over the attacks of the Father of lies. Come, Holy Spirit, come! Come, that we may continue to live free from sin, to grow in righteousness and to be victorious over our enemy.
witnesses of the living Lord.
Jesus said to his disciples: “As the Father loves me, so I also love you. Remain in my love. If you keep my commandments, you will remain in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and remain in his love. I have told you this so that my joy might be in you and your joy might be complete.” (Jn 15:9-11) What brings us great joy in life? To know that we are loved for who I am and not for what I do or give to another! Jesus ' gift of love is unconditional. He loves us because he loves us. It is the Father's love for and in Jesus that is given to us. That love is the Holy Spirit. The love of Jesus is the gift of himself, the Father and the Holy Spirit. One of the fruits of the love of God in us is joy. This joy is not a passing high but a lasting presence that brings the truth of our identity into clarity. True love manifests itself in authentic joy, which in turn expresses itself in love. Thank you Jesus for your love! May I respond with love, flowing out of joy.
heart, of the guilt of the lips, and of the guilt of deeds.... Mary was not only free from the threefold woe of actual guilt, but also from the threefold woe of original misery, i.e., from the misery of them that are born, from the misery of them that bring forth, and from the misery of them that die....The woe of the misery of being born is the woe of the weakness of concupiscence; the woe of them that bring forth is the woe of the pains of travail; the woe of the dying is the misery of being reduced to dust and ashes." (St. Bonaventure) Why was Mary so blessed? Because the Mother of God needed to be so free of the human woes that come from sin so as to be the perfect vessel for the Son of God to be brought forth from. In honoring Mary we are honoring God's divine plan for our salvation. We honor God's plan for our salvation by seeking to live a life worthy of the grace given to us through Mary's conception of our Savior.
“If anyone does not wish to have Mary Immaculate for his Mother, he will not have Christ for his Brother....Never be afraid of loving the Blessed Virgin too much. You can never love her more than Jesus did." (St. Maximilian Kolbe) God himself established Mary's true role in the order of salvation. Jesus is our only Savior.
Mary is the Mother of our Savior. Jesus is the God/Man. Mary is the mother through whom God became Man by the Father's eternal plan. The relationship between Jesus and Mary is divinely appointed. The honor given to Mary comes from God himself.
What has Jesus said that could cause them to be disturbed? He has already talked about one of the twelve betraying him and about his imminent death. Also the possibility of his departure disturbed them.
The answer is not fear but faith in the Father and in Jesus.
When we feel troubled in spirit, do we turn to the Lord and trust in him or do we seek answers elsewhere? Do we allow fear to rule us rather than faith in God? How often has fear been the focus and not faith?
In my Father's house there are many dwelling places. If there were not, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be. Where (I) am going you know the way."
Jesus gives them words of comfort and assurances of being with them again, even after he leaves them for a while.
Meditate on these words. What is Jesus saying to you?
Thomas said to him, "Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life.
This is one of the many "I am" sayings of this Gospel (6:35; 8:12; 9:5; 10:7; 11; 11:25; 15:1).
Jesus is the way in so far as he goes before us, setting the direction which will lead to the Father and eternal life. How faithfully do we follow Jesus?
Jesus is the truth, which if one follows, enters into eternal life. Do we accept the full message of Jesus without reservation?
Jesus is the giver of life who has come that we may have life abundantly. Do we desire that full life which only Jesus can give?
How often do we follow Jesus, believe in his word, share consciously his life?
There is no other way to the Father except through Jesus. Even for those who do not know Jesus, if they are saved it is through the death and resurrection of Jesus.
Do we know how to rest in the Father’s arms so that he can reveal the deeper understanding of Jesus to us?
If you know me, then you will also know my Father. From now on you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him, "Master, show us the Father, and that will be enough for us." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you for so long a time and you still do not know me, Philip? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me? The words that I speak to you I do not speak on my own. The Father who dwells in me is doing his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me, or else, believe because of the works themselves.
Both Jesus’ words and works reveal the words and works of the Father. Even in his humanity Jesus is one in the Father and the Father is one in him.
Reflect on this statement. What were the works—the signs and wonders--Jesus did? If we believe in him, should we not be open to those same works being evidenced in us? This is a challenging statement.
loving and honoring her, we are loving and honoring him.
your Mother, now our Mother.
on our own? Is it possible that God has another plan for us?
the company of a communion of saints.
was the foundation of Mary's response to all God asked of her.
handmaid of the Lord, be it done to me according to your will."
our response to God should be, even if we fall short at times.
Sometimes it is hard for us to really mine the scriptures, to fully understand the wealth contained in the Revelation of God’s Word. What is God telling us about himself, his relationship with us, our relationship with one another?
The image of the Shepherd and the sheep does not speak volumes to us because these are images which are somewhat foreign to our cultural experience. We have seen pictures and read stories but that may be the extent of it.
In the Gospel, Jesus is speaking about his love relationship with us.
First, there is a oneness and an intimacy developed between the shepherd and the sheep. The shepherd is with the sheep 365 days a year, 24 hours a day. There is a commitment to the sheep. The shepherd lives for the flock. This is not just another job. It is a way of life, something one loves to do. Jesus calls himself a Shepherd because all of his energies and concerns were for us, the flock, entrusted to his care by his Father. His whole life was dedicated to us.
Second, this intimacy and relationship extended to knowing the sheep as individuals. He knew them so well that he knew which one had tender hooves, which one got sick from eating certain things and which were prone to stray from others. Like the shepherd, Jesus knows each one of us in a deeply personal way. He knows which of us has a weak faith, which of us is apt to get discouraged and which of us is prone to stray from the flock. Jesus never deserts us. He is always there to help us and should we stray from the flock, Jesus will leave the ninety-nine and go in search of that one.
Third, the shepherd is the sheep gate. Once the sheep are in the pen for the night, the shepherd literally becomes the gate. He lays down across the narrow entrance. No sheep could leave the pen and no wild animal could enter it, without stepping on the body of the shepherd. In caring for his sheep this way, the shepherd is willing to give up his life for each one of the sheep.
Fourth, the shepherd is courageous, willing to defend the sheep against attacks from wild animals.
Fifth, like the shepherd who goes before the sheep as they follow him, Jesus goes before us on our journey as we follow him. There is a sense of security following him. Whom do we follow? Is Jesus the Lord and Messiah in fact of our lives?
Sixth, the sheep recognize the shepherd’s voice because of their intimacy with him. As we grow in intimacy with Jesus, we will learn to distinguish Jesus’ voice from all others and learn how to follow him and not a stranger. Are we in tune with the sound of his voice within us? How do we know? Do we take time to be still and listen?
Seventh, As a Shepherd, Jesus gives us new life and just the human life which is here today and gone tomorrow, but eternal life, life which is full and lasting. It is a share in his own life.
"Little things done out of love are those that charm the Heart of Christ…On the contrary, the most brilliant deeds, when done without love, are but nothingness." ( St. Theresa of Lisieux) Sometimes we look for extraordinary sacrifices to win God over, as if we need to do this. The only real language that penetrates the depths of God's heart is what makes God who he is: love. The way of love was the little way lived and taught by St. Theresa. Simple and profound, but difficult and not easy because of our wounded human nature. Yet, this little way of love can be life-changing and transforming. Intentionally practice it for a week and see how our heart is different and our life more fulfilling. Love is the only way.
In the Old Testament, God is described as a Shepherd and the people were the sheep of his flock. (Ps 23) Later on Ezekiel the Prophet likened God to a Shepherd who was displeased with those who were not shepherding his people but using them for their benefit. God revealed that he would remove the wicked shepherds and pasture his people himself. (Ez 34) This happens through the person of Jesus, who here likens himself to the Good Shepherd who will properly care for the flock of God.
"Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever does not enter a sheepfold through the gate but climbs over elsewhere is a thief and a robber. But whoever enters through the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens it for him, and the sheep hear his voice, as he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out."
God knows us by name and calls us to follow him. Does that truth make us feel special? Spend some time reflecting on this revelation.
"When he has driven out all his own, he walks ahead of them, and the sheep follow him, because they recognize his voice. But they will not follow a stranger; they will run away from him, because they do not recognize the voice of strangers."
It is a known fact that sheep are able to distinguish between the voice of the Shepherd and that of a stranger Do we know how to distinguish the voice of God from that of another?
Shepherding was a common occupation in Palestine at the time. Even so, the people hearing Jesus could not easily connect to the message he was giving them. Why?
So Jesus said again, "Amen, amen, I say to you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came [before me] are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters through me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. A thief comes only to steal and slaughter and destroy; I came so that they might have life and have it more abundantly.
Jesus changes the metaphor with the intention of making clearer his message. He equates himself to the gate. When the Shepherd takes his sheep to pasture, spending nights with them away from their normal, secure enclosure, he would sleep in front of the enclosure to block it from any intruders. He is ready to defend his sheep with his life if necessary.
"I came that they may have life and have it more abundantly." There is no salvation outside of Jesus Christ. In him is the fullness of life. What does that say to you?
If I want to experience this abundant life, what would Jesus want me to do? Do I manifest this abundant life in my words and actions?
What in this reading touched your life in a very special way? How have I experienced Jesus personally speaking to me and caring for me? How have I responded?
commitment. Work was not a drudgery of necessity but an offering of joy.
How do we see our work, as a ministry or as a burden? Pray to St. Joseph when you work to experience his incites, appreciation and joy in work.

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