Sunday, May 22, 2022

Advocate


The WORD today 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. This is how real and how true the Holy Spirit is. This is how powerful he is. 

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.

Do I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit? Do I believe in the Holy Spirit? Do I pray to and for the Holy Spirit? What is God reminding me today? What do I want to ask from the Holy Spirit?

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 another Sunday. 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. Make your love and protection and guidance more alive through the Holy Spirit. Especially with everything happening now, send the Holy Spirit and continue to keep us in your mantle of your love and protection. amen.

Blessed Sunday!

In Christ,
-g-

Ps
See related reflections:


Daily Readings

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Lectionary: 57

Some who had come down from Judea were instructing the brothers,
“Unless you are circumcised according to the Mosaic practice,
you cannot be saved.”
Because there arose no little dissension and debate
by Paul and Barnabas with them,
it was decided that Paul, Barnabas, and some of the others
should go up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders
about this question.

The apostles and elders, in agreement with the whole church,
decided to choose representatives
and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas.
The ones chosen were Judas, who was called Barsabbas,
and Silas, leaders among the brothers.
This is the letter delivered by them:

“The apostles and the elders, your brothers,
to the brothers in Antioch, Syria, and Cilicia
of Gentile origin: greetings.
Since we have heard that some of our number
who went out without any mandate from us
have upset you with their teachings
and disturbed your peace of mind,
we have with one accord decided to choose representatives
and to send them to you along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul,
who have dedicated their lives to the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.
So we are sending Judas and Silas
who will also convey this same message by word of mouth:
‘It is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us
not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities,
namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols,
from blood, from meats of strangled animals,
and from unlawful marriage.
If you keep free of these,
you will be doing what is right.  Farewell.’”

Responsorial Psalm

R (4) O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
Alleluia.
May God have pity on us and bless us;
            may he let his face shine upon us.
So may your way be known upon earth;
            among all nations, your salvation.
O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
Alleluia.
May the nations be glad and exult
            because you rule the peoples in equity;
            the nations on the earth you guide.
O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
Alleluia.
May the peoples praise you, O God;
            may all the peoples praise you!
May God bless us,
            and may all the ends of the earth fear him!
O God, let all the nations praise you!
or:
Alleluia.

The angel took me in spirit to a great, high mountain
and showed me the holy city Jerusalem
coming down out of heaven from God.
It gleamed with the splendor of God.
Its radiance was like that of a precious stone,
like jasper, clear as crystal.
It had a massive, high wall,
with twelve gates where twelve angels were stationed
and on which names were inscribed,
the names of the twelve tribes of the Israelites.
There were three gates facing east,
three north, three south, and three west.
The wall of the city had twelve courses of stones as its foundation,
on which were inscribed the twelve names
of the twelve apostles of the Lamb.

I saw no temple in the city
for its temple is the Lord God almighty and the Lamb.
The city had no need of sun or moon to shine on it,
for the glory of God gave it light,
and its lamp was the Lamb.

Alleluia

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.

Jesus said to his disciples:
“Whoever loves me will keep my word,
and my Father will love him,
and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him.
Whoever does not love me does not keep my words;
yet the word you hear is not mine
but that of the Father who sent me.

“I have told you this while I am with you.
The Advocate, the Holy Spirit,
whom the Father will send in my name,
will teach you everything
and remind you of all that I told you.
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Not as the world gives do I give it to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.
You heard me tell you,
‘I am going away and I will come back to you.’
If you loved me,
you would rejoice that I am going to the Father;
for the Father is greater than I.
And now I have told you this before it happens,
so that when it happens you may believe.”





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