Tuesday, May 28, 2019
6th Week of Easter
1st Reading:
Acts 16:22-34
Gospel: John 16:5-11
Jesus said to his disciples, “But now I am going to the One who sent me and none of you asks me where I am going; instead you are overcome with grief because of what I have said.
“Indeed believe me: It is better for you that I go away, because as long as I do not leave, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go away, it is to send him to you, and when he comes, he will vindicate the truth in face of the world with regard to sin, to the way of righteousness, and to the Judgment.
“What has been the sin? They did not believe in me. What is the way of righteousness? I am on the way to the Father, meanwhile you will not see me. What Judgment? The Ruler of this world has himself been condemned.”
D@iGITAL-EXPERIENCE
(Daily Gospel in the Assimilated Life Experience)
Goodbyes are often moments of grief. To console the disciples who felt depressed over his ascension to heaven, Jesus had to explain to them that his return to heaven was necessary for the Holy Spirit to come down. The Holy Spirit was designated as helper and guide of the disciples, and by extension, of the whole of humanity. What would be the nature of help and guidance that the Holy Spirit could provide? Let’s illustrate our answer by a hilarious story.
A father and his son dropped by the parish prayer room but the son wouldn’t leave his new bicycle outside for fear of losing it to thieves. “Don’t worry” the father assured the boy, “the Holy Spirit will look after your bike.” Inside the prayer room the boy left out the Holy Spirit in making the sign of the cross. “Your sign of the cross is incomplete,” the father remarked. “Please don’t call the Holy Spirit in”, the boy pleaded, “he has to stay outside to watch over my bike.”
Contrary to what the boy thought, the Holy Spirit can by everywhere at the same time. This characteristic makes the Holy Spirit the ideal helper of mankind because being always present is the distinguishing mark of a good aide. The Holy Spirit, however, cannot intrude our hearts. We have to be open to his indwelling by doing nothing inimical to his presence. The Holy Spirit cannot stay long in a person whose priorities pertain to the world and not to the things of God. Like the boy in the prayer room, it can happen that because of our great attachment to the world we give up with ease the company of the Holy Spirit in favor of material possessions and earthly pursuits.
As we journey towards Pentecost, let us start preparing our hearts now for the coming of the Holy Spirit so that when he comes he may find in our hearts a cozy dwelling place to stay forever. – (Atty.) Rev. Fr. Dan Domingo P. delos Angeles, Jr., D.M.