Gifted to Act

The Gospel from Matthew in the texts of the Roman Catholic Lectionary today presents prophesy of John the Baptist concerning Jesus who will soon supersede the baptism of repentance offered by John. “He will baptize you with^* the Holy Spirit and fire” (Matthew 3.11). Friar Jude Winkler comments on the attributes which the Prophet Isaiah associates with the king to arise from the stump of Jesse to restore the people to a relationship with God characterized by shalom. These are known by Christians, through the Latin translation, as the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. Danger is, as John the Baptist warns the Scribes and Pharisees, associated with the affiliation with God. Carol Zuegner of Creighton University notes that “we have to act; we have to ‘produce good fruit as evidence of our repentance.’” Paul addresses the Romans and us with the assurance that the promises made to the Jews for the coming of the Anointed One or Messiah were also extended to the Gentiles. The fruit of this gift of intimacy with God through Jesus is life in harmony with one another. Pope Francis restates the vision of Isaiah and Paul and the challenge we face to produce fruit today in his ApostolicExhortation, Evangelii Gaudium - "The Joy of the Gospel". The widows and orphans which Friar Jude identifies as the name of Isaiah for those who are unprotected, exploited and do not share in the wealth of society are with us today. The fire of the Holy Spirit does not permit us to forget them and remain in communion with God. The gifts of the Spirit are the necessary tools to work as Paul exhorts with steadfastness and encouragement to bring the harmony which results from justice for all through giving of ourselves to others as affiliation with Jesus in Baptism mandates.