The texts from the Roman Catholic Lectionary today invite us to contemplate our connection with the Holy Spirit as teacher and guide especially in times of trial.
The reading from the Letter to the Ephesians is Paul’s prayer for the presence of the Spirit in the community.
* [1:15–23] See note on Rom 1:8 for the thanksgiving form in a letter. Much of the content parallels thoughts in Col 1:3–20. The prayer moves from God and Christ (Eph 1:17, 20–21) to the Ephesians (Eph 1:17–19) and the church (Eph 1:22–23). Paul asks that the blessing imparted by God the Father (Eph 1:3) to the Ephesians will be strengthened in them through the message of the gospel (Eph 1:13, 17–19). Those blessings are seen in the context of God’s might in establishing the sovereignty of Christ over all other creatures (Eph 1:19–21) and in appointing him head of the church (Eph 1:22–23). For the allusion to angelic spirits in Eph 1:21, see Rom 8:38 and Col 1:16. Here, as in 1 Cor 15:24–25 and Col 2:15, every such principality and power is made subject to Christ.1
Psalm 8 declares Divine majesty and human dignity.
* [Psalm 8] While marvelling at the limitless grandeur of God (Ps 8:2–3), the psalmist is struck first by the smallness of human beings in creation (Ps 8:4–5), and then by the royal dignity and power that God has graciously bestowed upon them (Ps 8:6–9).2
The Gospel of Luke contains sayings about the Holy Spirit who will teach us at the hour of trial.
* [12:10–12] The sayings about the holy Spirit are set in the context of fearlessness in the face of persecution (Lk 12:2–9; cf. Mt 12:31–32). The holy Spirit will be presented in Luke’s second volume, the Acts of the Apostles, as the power responsible for the guidance of the Christian mission and the source of courage in the face of persecution.3
Joe Zaborowski comments that the disciples are assured that through faith in Him, the Holy Spirit can be drawn upon for wisdom and knowledge. He asks himself the question, has he made the final complete commitment to Christ?
Am I ready for the trials? In our current times we have our own “rulers and authorities” that will test my faith. In my own experience I find those who are the biggest challenge to my faith are often friends, family, and neighbors. So, I try to go about living my faith without embarrassment as a disciple of Christ. Hopefully I am a good witness to his truth. I’m guaranteed “the Holy Spirit” will teach if I’m open and discerning. "To one who has faith, no explanation is necessary. To one without faith, no explanation is possible." — St. Thomas Aquinas4
Don Schwager quotes “The Holy Spirit will inspire martyrs and teach believers,” by Cyril of Jerusalem, 430-543 A.D.
"You must also know that the Holy Spirit empowers the martyrs to bear witness... A person cannot testify as a martyr for Christ's sake except through the Holy Spirit. If 'no man can say "Jesus is Lord" except in the Holy Spirit' (1 Corinthians 12:3), will any man give his life for Jesus' sake except through the Holy Spirit?" (excerpt from CATECHETICAL LECTURES 16.21)5
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 12:8-12 ponders doesn’t God forgive all sins? Isn’t his mercy inexhaustible? Yes, he does, and yes, it is. So what is Jesus really saying?
Pope St. John Paul II put it this way: blasphemy does not mean “offending against the Holy Spirit in words,” but rather “in the refusal to accept the salvation which God offers . . . through the Holy Spirit” (Dominum et Vivificantem, 46). It’s not that there’s literally an “unforgivable sin” that we can commit. God will forgive any sin we bring to him. But if we don’t ask for and receive his forgiveness, it becomes “unforgivable.” It’s like being in a room that you’ve locked from the inside, and you won’t let the Lord in. You’re trapped, but you’re the one who has trapped yourself.6
Friar Jude Winkler comments on the messages in the Letter to the Ephesians addressed to an audience in the Greek culture. As the mystical Body of Christ we are no longer divided. Friar Jude reminds us of two characterizations of sin against the Holy Spirit from Saint John Paul II.
Franciscan Media writes about Saint of the Day, Saint Ignatius of Antioch who was born in Syria. Ignatius converted to Christianity and eventually became bishop of Antioch. In the year 107, Emperor Trajan visited Antioch and forced the Christians there to choose between death and apostasy. Ignatius would not deny Christ and thus was condemned to be put to death in Rome.
Ignatius’s great concern was for the unity and order of the Church. Even greater was his willingness to suffer martyrdom rather than deny his Lord Jesus Christ. He did not draw attention to his own suffering, but to the love of God which strengthened him. He knew the price of commitment and would not deny Christ, even to save his own life.7
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, comments as long as we are preoccupied with the sins of “the flesh,” those things we’ve done, said, and gotten wrong over the course of our lives, we will never find the courage to face the larger problems of “the world” and “the devil.” A gentle meditation exercise by mindfulness teacher Rhonda V. Magee invites us to connect with ourselves, our ancestors, our neighbors, and our common humanity. From that place of solidarity, we may be able to imagine our collective salvation and to work towards it.
On an in-breath, begin deepening awareness of who you really are.
Call to mind your connection to your parents, and through them, as best you can, your grandparents, and the great-grandparents whose names you know or do not know. And so on.
What do you know about your own ancestral heritage? What do you not know? . . .
What parts [of this story] have been hidden, denied, buried, or left out?
Breathe in, examining what you know and do not know about these aspects of your place in the social world. . . .
Now consider the actual community in which you live. For now, think of this as one aspect of your “place” in the world. Consider the fact that every person in that community is a member of a broad, rich lineage within human history. And see how those differences pale in comparison to the things the communities’ members share in common.
Take a moment to consider the ways that different histories reflect common experience as human beings.
Think of the peace and cooperation that silently exist in your community, to whatever degree they exist, and the ways in which your life has benefited from thousands of moments of participating in a community that practices “getting along.”
Now breathe in and out, feeling the deeper ground of your existence, and that which you share with us, with the rest of the world. Allow the awareness of your common humanity to infuse your sense of your place in the world in this very moment.
On the next in-breath, call to mind what you know about some one particular aspect of your lineage. And on the next out-breath, release what you know, and sense into the common experience of breathing that all human beings share.
Continue this cycle, breathing and alternately considering aspects of your place in the world and the deeper ground of your human existence, all held by the ocean of awareness.8
The Spirit calls us to unity and solidarity in the Body of Christ and instructs us when we seek the knowledge to respond to the call.
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