Comes, hears and acts

The text from the Gospel of Luke in the Roman Catholic Lectionary presents a truth and a guide for assessment of our spiritual growth in our life journey. The depth of our being is  in need of transformation from the self serving acts which produce "bad fruit". The decision to move toward deeper intimacy of our indwelling Spirit with the Divine Spirit requires us to hear the will of God for our life and act on that understanding. Paul's letter to Timothy proclaims the mercy he experienced in becoming an intimate partner with Jesus and the Spirit in the evangelism of the Gentiles from a former position of persecution of all those following the Way. The letter to Timothy expresses gratitude for the patience of Jesus with Paul in this transformation. Paul is the example which makes the praise of the psalmist that "He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap" a prayer that we too can proclaim as we progress and experience the mercy and patience in our lives!