October 20, 2018 Saturday 28th Week in Ordinary Time 1st Reading: Eph 1:15–23 Gospel: Luke 12:8-12
Jesus said to his disciples, “I tell you, whoever acknowledges me before people, the Son of Man will also acknowledge before the angels of God. But the one who denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God.“There will be pardon for the one who criticizes the Son of Man, but there will be no pardon for the one who slanders the Holy Spirit.“When you are brought before the synagogues, governors and rulers, don’t worry about how you will defend yourself or what to say. For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you have to say.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the
Assimilated Life Experience)
The Holy Spirit inspires repentance in sinners. He also empowers the persecuted. But in the exercise of these roles, the Holy Spirit always respects human freedom. On this basis Jesus said in today’s Gospel that those who blaspheme the Holy Spirit would never be forgiven. Blasphemy amounts to taking exception from the power of the Holy Spirit. Since the Holy Spirit cannot impose himself upon those who reject Him, He cannot proceed to inspire repentance upon the blasphemers. That is why blasphemers will never repent. On this score they cannot be forgiven.
In another Gospel passage, Jesus had insisted that it was by the power of the Holy Spirit that he was casting out demons (Matthew 12: 28). But the Pharisees stood pat on their accusation that Jesus was driving out demons by the power of Beelzebul – the prince of devils. What a blasphemy!
No repentance can happen outside the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Those who choose to orbit outside His inspiration will never come to repentance. Since those who do not seek forgiveness cannot be forgiven, such blasphemers could never be forgiven.
As regards the Holy Spirit’s second role of empowering the persecuted, Jesus said, “Don’t worry about how you will defend yourself … For the Holy Spirit will teach you at that time what you have to say.” The Holy Spirit will not do the answering for us but will teach us what to answer. With the Holy Spirit working hard and with our hearts wide open to his inspiration, there is no persecution too impossible for us to bear.
The Holy Spirit who works in the fullness of freedom also respects the freedom of those for whom he works. Let us remain open and respectful to the Holy Spirit so that in times of prosperity repentance may not be our last priority and in times of persecution, perseverance may take us to our spiritual destination. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., DM . Email: dan.delosangeles@gmail.com.
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