The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today exhort us to rely on the Spirit of Truth to lead us beyond preconceptions and group think to the truth of the Love of God in the Plan for our journey.
In the reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Paul, in Athens, hears ‘We will hear you again about this.’
* [17:22–31] In Paul’s appearance at the Areopagus he preaches his climactic speech to Gentiles in the cultural center of the ancient world. The speech is more theological than christological. Paul’s discourse appeals to the Greek world’s belief in divinity as responsible for the origin and existence of the universe. It contests the common belief in a multiplicity of gods supposedly exerting their powers through their images. It acknowledges that the attempt to find God is a constant human endeavor. It declares, further, that God is the judge of the human race, that the time of the judgment has been determined, and that it will be executed through a man whom God raised from the dead. The speech reflects sympathy with pagan religiosity, handles the subject of idol worship gently, and appeals for a new examination of divinity, not from the standpoint of creation but from the standpoint of judgment. (Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 17, n.d.)
Psalm 148 offers praise for God’s Universal Glory.
* [Psalm 148] A hymn inviting the beings of heaven (Ps 148:1–6) and of earth (Ps 148:7–14) to praise God. The hymn does not distinguish between inanimate and animate (and rational) nature.
* [148:4] Highest heavens: lit., “the heavens of the heavens,” i.e., the space above the firmament, where the “upper waters” are stored, cf. Gn 1:6–7; Dt 10:14; 1 Kgs 8:27; Ps 104:3, 13.
* [148:14] Has lifted high the horn of his people: the horn symbolizes strength, the concrete noun for the abstract. Of all peoples, God has chosen Israel to return praise and thanks in a special way. (Psalms, PSALM 148, n.d.)
In the Gospel of John, Jesus teaches about when the Spirit of truth comes.
* [16:13] Declare to you the things that are coming: not a reference to new predictions about the future, but interpretation of what has already occurred or been said (John, CHAPTER 16, n.d.).
David Crawford comments that throughout his journey, missionary Paul is guided by the Holy Spirit. The Spirit led him to Macedonia, prevented him from going to Bythinia, and kept him from preaching the Word as he traveled through parts of Asia. From this we know that Paul was obedient to the Holy Spirit abiding in him, but that only answers part of the question. Another part of the answer is that Paul was faithful, knowing that the Holy Spirit would be with him no matter the circumstances, so Paul focused on what the Spirit called him to do instead of worrying about what might happen.
For little anxious-prone me, I plan to start my coming days with the prayer: Holy Spirit, as you repeatedly tell me, there is no need to be afraid. I am listening for your voice, and I trust you to lead me. I have decided to heed the call to “be bold, like Paul” and Let Your Faith Be Stronger Than Your Fear. (Crawford & Trenney, 2023)
Don Schwager quotes “The Spirit makes Christ known,” by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"He [the Holy Spirit] will make me clearly known by pouring love into the hearts of believers and making them spiritual and thus able to see that the Son whom they had known before only according to the flesh - and who they thought was only a man like themselves - was equal to the Father. Or at least, when his love filled them with boldness and cast out fear, they would proclaim Christ to men and women, and in this way they would spread Christ's fame throughout the whole world... For what they were going to do in the power of the Holy Spirit, this the Holy Spirit says he does himself." (excerpt from TRACTATES ON THE GOSPEL OF JOHN 100.1) (Schwager, n.d.)
The Word Among Us Meditation on John 16:12-15 comments that Jesus wasn’t leaving them alone. He would send the Holy Spirit, who would guide them to all truth (John 16:13). It was an amazing promise—and it’s meant for us as well!
Today, reflect on one of these truths. Let the Spirit show you how you were made for love or unity or eternity. Allow him to speak to you through the Scriptures. That’s what he came to do, so go ahead and ask!
“Holy Spirit, thank you for revealing God’s truths to me each and every day.” (Meditation on John 16:12-15, n.d.)
Friar Jude Winkler explores the acceptance of Paul’s words in Athens by the Stoics. The Greek philosophers considered that the soul was a prisoner of the body and the idea of resurrection was not accepted by them. Friar Jude notes that the Spirit of Truth reveals the outpouring of Love that we experience in relationship with the Trinity.
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, stresses that evil often masquerades as good, and so provides justification for immense injustice. Consider the religious rationale for the “Doctrine of Discovery,” which helped to justify the conquest of the Americas and the African slave-trade. Mark Charles and Soong-Chan Rah write.
The Doctrine [of Discovery] emerged from a series of fifteenth-century papal bulls, which are official decrees by the pope that carry the full weight of his ecclesial office….
[In 1493], Pope Alexander VI issued the papal bull Inter Caetera … [which] offered a spiritual validation for European conquest, “that in our times especially the Catholic faith and the Christian religion be exalted and be everywhere increased and spread.”
[The doctrine] gave theological permission for the European body and mind to view themselves as superior to the non-European bodies and minds. The doctrine created … an identity for African bodies as inferior and only worthy of subjugation; it also relegated the identity of the original inhabitants of the land “discovered” to become outsiders, now unwelcome in their own land. [3] [4] (Rohr, 2023)
Because we are challenged to accept Jesus' assertion that the truth will set us free we have the Spirit to open our being to our relationship with the Trinity.
References
Acts of the Apostles, CHAPTER 17. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 17, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/acts/17?15
Crawford, D., & Trenney, T. (2023, May 17). Creighton U. Daily Reflection. Online Ministries. Retrieved May 17, 2023, from https://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/051723.html
John, CHAPTER 16. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 17, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/john/16?12
Meditation on John 16:12-15. (n.d.). The Word Among Us: Homepage. Retrieved May 17, 2023, from https://wau.org/meditations/2023/05/17/679919/
Psalms, PSALM 148. (n.d.). USCCB. Retrieved May 17, 2023, from https://bible.usccb.org/bible/psalms/148?1
Rohr, R. (2023, May 17). Evil Depends upon Disguise — Center for Action and Contemplation. Richard Rohr. Retrieved May 17, 2023, from https://cac.org/daily-meditations/evil-depends-upon-disguise-2023-05-17/
Schwager, D. (n.d.). The Holy Spirit Will Guide You into All the Truth. Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations – Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved May 17, 2023, from https://www.dailyscripture.net/daily-meditation/?ds_year=2023&date=may17
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