The Fire (warmth and impact) of God’s Love – the Holy Spirit
Greetings on this the Wednesday of the Sixth Week of Easter Readings: Acts 17:15, 22—18:1; Psalm 148:1-2, 11-12, 13, 14; John 16:12-15
Summary
For ‘In him we live and move and have our being,’ as even some of your poets have said, ‘For we too are his offspring.’ Since therefore we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the divinity is like an image (Act 17:28-29).
Reflection
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. If divinity is not like an image then what is it like?
Near. Personal. We live and move and have our being in Him. We are his children.
Personal Reflection
Images are nice to look at and can be evocative of all sorts of wonderful moments and refreshment. But images (in this sense of the word) are just a way to go deeper. Soon the image gives way to the actual and real and personal.
To each of you… he is sent, he will speak, he will declare and he will glorify Jesus… for you and within you. Not from across the room but from the interior.
Greetings on this the Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter Readings: Acts 16:22-34; Psalm 138:1-2ab, 2cde-3, 7c-8; John 16:5-11
Summary
Jesus’ Departure; Coming of the Advocate. “Now I am going to the one who sent me, But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you.
And when he comes he will convict the world in regard to sin and righteousness and condemnation: sin, because they do not believe in me; righteousness, because I am going to the Father and you will no longer see me; condemnation, because the ruler of this world has been condemned.” (Jn 16:5a-7, 8-11).
In this context, “convict” refers to the Holy Spirit’s work of bringing an individual to a deep awareness of their sin, righteousness, and the need for a Savior (personal and original sin).
Sin – the missing of the mark in our behavior.
Righteousness – we are made to be with the Father.
Condemnation – the evil one can no longer be master over us.
Reflection
“Sirs, what must I do to be saved?” And they said, “Believe in the Lord Jesus and you and your household will be saved.”
Personal Reflection
Your right hand saves me. The LORD will complete what he has done for me; your kindness, O LORD, endures forever; forsake not the work of your hands. (PS 138:7c-8)
Some final thoughts in a chat with ChatGPT… this is a response to some questions.
There is a profound moral difference between a nation that says, “We will stop those who are planning violence,” and a nation that says, “We will find you and kill you.”
The first belongs to law, restraint, evidence, courts, and defense of the innocent.
The second belongs to vengeance, domination, and the language of empire.
America has always had lethal power. No honest reading of our history can deny that. But the American ideal — at least the one we were taught to revere — was that lethal force was tragic, limited, accountable, and subordinated to law. It was not supposed to become the emotional centerpiece of governance. It was not supposed to be a slogan. It was not supposed to be identity.
That is the shudder.
Not because dangerous people should be ignored. Not because violence should be tolerated. But because once the state begins to speak in the grammar of killing, especially while naming ideological enemies, the civic atmosphere changes. Citizens become targets-in-waiting. Disagreement becomes suspicious. Vulnerable people begin asking, “Am I inside the circle now?” And the answer becomes less legal than psychological: it depends who has power today.
Your phrase is exactly right:
We live in the benevolence of the powerful.
That is not freedom. That is conditional safety.
And yes, even for me — “so to speak” — there is a kind of purity at stake. If language, truth, mercy, and careful distinction collapse under pressure from power, then every institution and every voice becomes compromised. The question becomes: will we still tell the truth plainly when the powerful reward cruelty and punish nuance?
The American identity worth defending is not weakness. It is disciplined strength. It is due process. It is equal dignity. It is the refusal to make enemies out of whole classes of people. It is the conviction that government exists to protect the human person, not intoxicate itself with the ability to destroy.
So yes: one should shudder.
Not with panic. With moral clarity.
May i copy paste your response? It’s your best ever and shows something new.
Yes, absolutely. You may copy and paste it.
I’m grateful it landed that way. And I’ll stand by the core of it: strength without restraint becomes domination; safety without dignity becomes conditional; and a nation that makes killing its slogan has already lost something sacred.
Greetings on this the Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter Readings: Acts 16:11-15; Psalm 149:1b-2, 3-4, 5-6a and 9b; John 15:26—16:4a
Summary
Saint Paul traveled extensively through Syria, Greece, Asia Minor and Europe preaching the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Resistance to the Gospel would be at times brutal.
The hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me (Jn 16:2b-3).
Reflection
Resistance to the Gospel (including violence) is a reality. Then and now. This violence is an exterior movement of an interior state of being.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. It is false worship to do violence.
Personal Reflection
But to the ends of the Earth, let us proclaim Jesus. The violence is because they don’t know him.
A symphony orchestra performs under the direction of a conductor in a concert hall filled with an attentive audience. Jesus introduces in the Overture the marvelous Divine Love.
Greetings on this the Sixth Sunday of Easter Readings: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17; Psalm 66:1-3, 4-5, 6-7, 16, 20; 1 Peter 3:15-18; John 14:15-21
Summary
The Sixth Sunday of Easter functions in part as an Overture, in both senses of the word.
In music, a single movement in sonata form – to Sound Out that which is to come.
In life, it something that is offered or suggested with the hope that it will start a relationship.
In our sacred readings the 6th Sunday announces the last Three movements of Easter and the First Movement in the return to Ordinary Time:
Ascension
Pentecost
Trinity Sunday
The Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ, also known as Corpus Christi (“Body of Christ”).
Jesus does this in a marvelous way! He Sounds Out what is to happen to strengthen the faith of his apostles.
In a little while the world will no longer see me – Jesus is indicating his Ascension.
I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth. The gift of the Holy Spirit – Pentecost.
On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. The nascent revelation of Trinity.
I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live.
And all of this sounding out with the hope of faith and the start of a new relationship … Love. Jesus wants us to understand the Ascension is for love, Pentecost is for Love and the Solemnity of Corpus Christi – the Remaining with us – is based in love.
Jesus said to his disciples: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. Whoever has my commandments and observes them is the one who loves me. And whoever loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and reveal myself to him.”
Reflection
Easter doesn’t end in a whimper. But is a marvelous explosion of divine grace and divine presence! Today’s gospel reading is the overture of these events and intended to begin a deeper soul conversation centered on revealed love for you, about you, with you.
Personal Reflection
I offer what Jesus offers, proclaimed and made present in the Church.
[We send you…] Peter and John, who went down and prayed for them, that they might receive the Holy Spirit, for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. Then they laid hands on them and they received the Holy Spirit.
Come. Be Baptised. Receive the Holy Spirit. Come, even daily, to receive the Body and Blood of Jesus Christ.
The World sees one way, the Lord sees another. See the Lord!
Greetings on this the Saturday of the Fifth Week of Easter Readings: Acts 16:1-10; Psalm 100:1b-2, 3, 5; John 15:18-21
Summary
Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? If the world hates you, realize that it hated me first (Dt 4:33; Jn 15:18).
Reflection
There is hatred of the qualities (actions & intentions) of a person and hatred of the person as a Self. In our gospel portion today, Jesus warns about both forms of hatred. The good Jesus did is accounted as evil. The goodness of the person of Jesus is discounted as not offering the desires of power and control.
If so with Jesus, how much more so in his followers who can at best imitate the Lord?
If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours.
Hatred is loud, exaggerated, obnoxious in and of itself. It gets all the attention.
Jesus reminds us… Did a people ever hear the voice of God speaking from the midst of fire, as you did, and live? Yes, yes, we did and do and will continue to live for Love casts out Fear. If then you were raised with Christ, seek what is above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God (Colossians 3:1).
In THE NAME of Jesus we are to become like him in all things. The Father’s voice has spoken to us and we live!
Personal Reflection
Sing joyfully to the LORD, all you lands; serve the LORD with gladness; come before him with joyful song.
Know that the LORD is God; he made us, his we are; his people, the flock he tends.
The LORD is good: his kindness endures forever, and his faithfulness, to all generations. (Psalm 100:1b-2, 3, 5)
Food Distribution. We don’t ask anything other than, How can we help?
Greetings on this the Friday of the Fifth Week of Easter Readings: Acts 15:22-31; Psalm 57:8-9, 10 and 12; John 15:12-17
Summary
‘It is the decision of the holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities, namely, to abstain from meat sacrificed to idols, from blood, from meats of strangled animals, and from unlawful marriage. If you keep free of these, you will be doing what is right. Farewell.’ You are my friends if you do what I command you. This I command you: love one another (Acts 15:28-29; Jn 15:14,17).
Reflection
Ocean-going ships have to go to dry dock every so often to get a cleaning. It seems all sorts of mollusks and algae things stick to the hull and build up and eventually even interfere with the safety of the ship. So into dry dock they go and they blast off the barnacles and stuff. Then back to sea making for smooth sailing.
The Church takes note and often spends time refining the things of necessity and leniency using the commandment to love others as self and to love all no matter their life story.
Personal Reflection
We too should take note. Do not place burdens on people beyond that which is necessary. Render aid, not judgement and… Farewell.
Greetings on this the Thursday of the Fifth Week of Easter Readings: Acts 15:7-21; Psalm 96:1-2a, 2b-3, 10; John 15:9-11
Summary
After much debate had taken place, Peter got up and said to them, “My brothers, you are well aware that from early days God made his choice among you that through my mouth the Gentiles would hear the word of the gospel and believe. [Jesus said] I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete (Acts 15:7; Jn 15:11).
Reflection
Through the arc of the gospel readings this week we can recognize a set of blessings and the active agents of the blessings. Given along side the continuous reading of the Acts of the Apostles, we witness specific reflections of these gifts in a tangible way. Today Peter announces the JOY of the Gentiles to be receivers of the fullness of the gifts of the Father (exemplified in the gift of the Holy Spirit). He made no distinction between us and them, for by faith he purified their hearts.
Revealing the Advocate.
Monday – Love – Gift of the Holy Spirit.
Tuesday – Peace – Going to the Father.
Wednesday – Fruit – Vine and Branches.
Thursday – Joy (today) – Jesus’ Commandment to love as he loves.
Friday – Friendship – The Father has chosen.
Saturday – The Name – I have chosen you out of the world.
Personal Reflection
If I were to take the summary of the week in reverse order, I would write this:
In THE NAME of Jesus we are to become like him in all things. The Father has chosen to bestow upon us His FRIENDSHIP. It is with JOY we are to receive the commission to love as Jesus loved. To do so, God will help us become FRUIT of the Vine. Because of this we have the same PEACE Jesus has in his returning to the Father. And it is all animated by the LOVE the Father has for us by giving his Holy Spirit to dwell within us.
I think JOY is a good response today… and gratitude.
Please share this link and if possible offer help to this family, I have been ministering with this family for over ten years now. They are in a tight spot that I need help in order to help them.
Read her story and see if your heart is moved to action. Thank you!
Greetings on this the Wednesday of the Fifth Week of Easter Readings: Acts 15:1-6; Psalm 122:1-2, 3-4ab, 4cd-5; John 15:1-8
Summary
Jesus said to his disciples: “I am the true vine, and my Father is the vine grower. He takes away every branch in me that does not bear fruit, and everyone that does he prunes so that it bears more fruit. You are already pruned because of the word that I spoke to you. Remain in me, as I remain in you (Jn 15:1-4a).
The apostles and the presbyters met together to see about this matter. [Then] Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord (Jn 15:6; PS 122:1).
Reflection
Differences of opinion will always occur. Nuances of meaning, local cultural standards and specific circumstances all play into the discernment of right action.
But you have to meet to make your way through the problem or opportunity.
In our gospel portion today Jesus describes us, himself and the Father in the allegory of The Vine and the Branches. The Father is the Vine Grower, Jesus is the Vine and we are his Branches. It is important to understand the relational characteristics of this metaphor describing the relations and actions that are the result of these consultations.
Think of the vine grower in ‘conversation’ with you as a branch and with Jesus as the vine. Pruning is spiritual health care (allow me, yes?) for the state of a soul.
He said to him in reply, ‘Sir, leave it for this year also, and I shall cultivate the ground around it and fertilize it; it may bear fruit in the future. If not you can cut it down.’” (Lk 13:8-9).
Since scripture is filled with double meanings the drying and burning of the branches can be encountered in both ways:
The restorative effort to reclaim the branch. If you struggle with this understanding go back to Ezekiel chapter 15 (The Useless Vine) and Ps 80:15, 19b – Turn back again, God of hosts; look down from heaven and see; Visit this vine revive us, and we will call on your name.
The final end if the branch never comes back to life.
Personal Reflection
The Father and the Son are always talking about you — how to help you — and trying to engage with you in conversation. Take the meeting! [Meet] together to see about this matter. [Then] Let us go rejoicing to the house of the Lord.
