Advocate

The WORD today (see http://usccb.org/bible/readings/052117.cfm) reminds me that God is always with us, specially through the Holy Spirit. 

On one of the earlier episodes of the TV series called “The Blacklist”, the person he cares for doesn’t know that he sent someone to secretly follow her and keep her safe. She was living her life as it is. She only knew about it when the person actually saved her from danger. This is similar to Jesus sending us the Holy Spirit. 

The Holy Spirit is with us always, even though most of the time we do not feel his presence. 

In the gospel, Jesus tells us that he will not leave us orphans. He will send the holy spirit to be with us always. In the first reading, we see this is true as the disciples called upon the Holy Spirit to be received by the people. 

Jesus may not be physically present with us, but he sent the Holy Spirit to be with us always. The Holy Spirit guides us and enables us to know what God wants us to do and how God wants us to live.

In our lives, we feel the Holy Spirit even if we may not know it is the Holy Spirit guiding and protecting us. Sometimes we feel additional strength, patience and love that we just cannot explain. Sometimes we feel God saving us and guiding us. Sometimes we feel additional wisdom to explain the scripture, or understand situations and things to bring glory to God. Or sometimes, we actually do not recognize the protection and power of the Holy Spirit, working silently in the background and protecting and guiding us. The Holy Spirit is with us always, and is working in us always.

May we be more aware that the Holy Spirit is alive and moving in our lives.

Father God,

Thank you for today. Thank you for another day to live. thank you for the reminder. Thank you for sending the Holy Spirit to be with us always. Sorry for the times I do not recognize or acknowledge him. Sorry for not being sensitive, and for not believing your word that He is with us always.  Help me be more aware of his presence, and may I always allow myself to be used and changed to be more and more like you by the way I live. amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,

-g-

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May 21, 2017
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Lectionary: 55

Reading 1ACTS 8:5-8, 14-17

Philip went down to the city of Samaria
and proclaimed the Christ to them.
With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip
when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing.
For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice,
came out of many possessed people,
and many paralyzed or crippled people were cured.
There was great joy in that city.

Now when the apostles in Jerusalem
heard that Samaria had accepted the word of God,
they sent them Peter and John,
who went down and prayed for them,
that they might receive the Holy Spirit,
for it had not yet fallen upon any of them;
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.
Then they laid hands on them
and they received the Holy Spirit.

Responsorial PsalmPS 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20

R. (1) Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Shout joyfully to God, all the earth,
sing praise to the glory of his name;
proclaim his glorious praise.
Say to God, "How tremendous are your deeds!"
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
"Let all on earth worship and sing praise to you,
sing praise to your name!"
Come and see the works of God,
his tremendous deeds among the children of Adam.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
He has changed the sea into dry land;
through the river they passed on foot;
therefore let us rejoice in him.
He rules by his might forever.
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.
Hear now, all you who fear God, while I declare
what he has done for me.
Blessed be God who refused me not
my prayer or his kindness!
R. Let all the earth cry out to God with joy.
or:
R. Alleluia.

Reading 21 PT 3:15-18

Beloved:
Sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts.
Always be ready to give an explanation
to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope,
but do it with gentleness and reverence,
keeping your conscience clear,
so that, when you are maligned,
those who defame your good conduct in Christ
may themselves be put to shame.
For it is better to suffer for doing good,
if that be the will of God, than for doing evil.

For Christ also suffered for sins once,
the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous,
that he might lead you to God.
Put to death in the flesh,
he was brought to life in the Spirit.

AlleluiaJN 14:23

R. Alleluia, alleluia.
Whoever loves me will keep my word, says the Lord,
and my Father will love him and we will come to him.
R. Alleluia, alleluia.

GospelJN 14:15-21

Jesus said to his disciples:
"If you love me, you will keep my commandments.
And I will ask the Father, 
and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always,
the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot accept,
because it neither sees nor knows him.
But you know him, because he remains with you,
and will be in you.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.
In a little while the world will no longer see me,
but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father
and you are in me and I in you.
Whoever has my commandments and observes them
is the one who loves me.
And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father,
and I will love him and reveal myself to him."