Monday, May 15, 2017
5th Week of Easter
1st Reading: Acts 14:5–18
Gospel: Jn 14:21–26
Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever keeps my commandments is the one who loves me. If he loves me, he will also be loved by my Father; I too shall love him and show myself clearly to him.”
Judas—not the Iscariot—asked Jesus, “Lord, how can it be that you will show yourself clearly to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word and my Father will love him; and we will come to him and make a room in his home. But if anyone does not love me, he will not keep my words, and these words that you hear are not mine but the Father’s who sent me.
“I told you all this while I was still with you. From now on the Helper, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and remind you of all that I have told you.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel
in the Assimilated
Life Experience)
The last paragraph of today’s Gospel makes reference to the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in Jesus’ name to teach and remind the disciples of all that Jesus had taught them. Chapter 16 of the same Gospel of John expands the role of the Holy Spirit as no longer just the teacher of the disciples but also of the whole world (John 16:8).
The Holy Spirit is always there to guide all. The problem lies in every one’s capacity to respond. When a person’s conscience has become insulated due to repeated sinning, such conscience becomes less sensitive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. It is akin to an air-pot that can no longer transmit heat to its liquid content because its inner cylinder is already insulated with thick layers of impurities accumulated by repeated boiling.
But the Holy Spirit can still sensitize the conscience of sinners if they submit to His guidance. He does it by showing sinners how far sin has caused damage to their lives. With the Holy Spirit there is no way a sinner can wallow in discouragement. He will assure all that God’s capacity to forgive is greater than the human capacity to commit sin.
Obstinacy “cripples” the Holy Spirit. Refusal to submit to Him takes a person far from the altar of repentance and away from the fountain of grace. But God will respect their choice. This is what Matthew meant when he wrote that all sins could be forgiven except the sin of blasphemy against the Holy Spirit (Matt. 12:31). It is blasphemy to refuse the power of the Holy Spirit. When we do we clog the fount of God’s mercy. By our own doing grace could no longer flow towards us.
Chapter 16 of John presents the Holy Spirit as teacher of all. But how much can a teacher achieve if students do not listen? – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.
May comment ka ba sa column ni Father Dan? May tanong ka ba sa kanya?
I-type ang BANDERA REACT <message/ name/age/address> at i-send sa 4467.