DAILY HOMILIES

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus likens these persecutions to the pains a woman feels when she is about to give birth: “When a woman is in travail, she has sorrow because her hour has come; but when she is delivered of the child, she no longer remembers the anguish, for joy that a child is born into the world. You have sorrow now, but I will see you again; your hearts will rejoice…” (John 16:20-23).

By ascending into heaven, Jesus did not create a distance between himself and humanity; his Ascension confirms that we all have a final destination beyond this earth. Jesus is still with us. Jesus is always with us. In fact, we must never forget Jesus’ last words in today’s Gospel passage: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptising them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” (Matthew 28:19-20).

The Athenians did not accept Paul because they couldn’t face the truth. They acknowledged their ignorance by making an Altar with the inscription: “To an unknown god,” but when Paul brought the truth to them, they resisted it.

The Holy Spirit is our helper; He gets things done. Jesus said, “If I do not go away, the Counsellor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him to you.” Never assume you are on your own. Learn to be conscious of God’s presence in and around you every moment.

The Holy Spirit is the principal agent of evangelisation. In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Truth who bears witness to Him. Without the Holy Spirit, we cannot know the truth about God. We cannot witness to God without first receiving the witness of the Holy Spirit. Meanwhile, even when we witness God to our fellow human beings, our success depends entirely on the Holy Spirit.

In today’s Gospel passage, Jesus introduces us to the third person of the Trinity – the Holy Spirit, the Counsellor, the Spirit of Truth, and the indwelling presence of God in the life of the believer. As we gradually approach the Feast of Pentecost, our readings today present an urgent call upon us to intensify our prayers for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

The world hates Christians because it sees a reflection of Christ in them. “And this is the judgment, that the light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19). The world prefers darkness to light. Evil is always more attractive than good. If you are not experiencing opposition from the world, it means there is nothing about you that points to Christ; you are not a threat to the kingdom of darkness because they see you as one of theirs.

What does it mean to love one another as God has loved us? It means that we pour ourselves out for the good of our fellow brothers and sisters. To love like God is to be a Prodigal Father ready to forgive as many as seventy-seven times seven times.

“Rivers don’t drink their water; trees do not eat their fruit; the sun does not shine on itself, and flowers do not spread their fragrance for themselves. Living for others is a rule of nature. We are all born to help each other. No matter how difficult it is… life is good when you are happy, but much better when others are happy because of you.”

There is a saying, “What is beyond six is more than seven.” Regardless of your profession, pay attention to your spiritual life and do not depend solely on your human efforts and skills. Jesus tells us today: “Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.”

Develop a thick skin ready to handle “spiritual stress” during moments of tribulation. Be willing, like Job, to accept whatever comes your way, knowing that God remains forever your loving Father. Let not your hearts be troubled. Challenges are part of life. If the road is too smooth, the journey would be tedious. Just keep moving. Tough times don’t last, but tough people do.

Never judge your worth by the negative behaviour of others. Did Jesus remain in Nazareth after He was rejected? He didn’t need to force anyone to believe; he left them and went elsewhere. The same Barnabas and Paul who ran like thieves from Iconium became gods at Lystra. Barnabas became Zeus, and Paul; they called Hermes because he was the chief speaker. For healing a cripple who had never walked from birth, they could not stop the people from offering sacrifices to them. Go where you are appreciated.