DAILY HOMILIES #holy spirit

However, in sad moments, we find it very hard to pray, talkless of singing praises to God. Paul and Silas teach us a very important lesson today – praise God even in bad times. How do we summon courage to praise God when it seems He failed to protect us from evil? Remember that you are not alone. The Holy Spirit is always with you;

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

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.

“While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.’”(Acts 13:2). This is the first recorded instance of the Holy Spirit speaking directly, not just to one person, but to an entire congregation; everyone heard and understood the Holy Spirit’s message.

Why did God send an Angel to Mary? St. Augustine answered: “God created us without our consent, but He will not save us without our consent.” We always have a choice to say “Yes” or “No” to God’s plans for our lives.

Dear friends, there is no limit to God's forgiveness. “No matter what your past has been, you begin anew.” God’s mercy endures forever. Despite all that was done to Jesus, He did not even wait to die before forgiving his enemies. Right on the cross, Jesus said: “Forgive them, Father, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34).

Our celebration of St. Stephen today reminds us that Christmas is not all about eating and drinking. It is a celebration of the SACRIFICIAL LOVE of God for us. If God so loved us, we must love one another. If God so loved us even when we were His enemies, we must love our enemies and pray for them.

We get to hear about Mary’s pregnancy from Elizabeth's mouth. “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Luke 1:42). Elizabeth introduces Mary to the world as the woman who is blessed among all women. Elizabeth and Angel Gabriel gave us the “Hail Mary” prayer.

In today’s Gospel passage, Luke narrates how Jesus spent an entire night in prayer before selecting the twelve apostles. This teaches us the importance of prayer as a consultation with God before making any major decision. Prayer is the master key. Jesus started with prayer and ended with prayer. A Christian who does not spend time in prayer will hardly hear from God. Prayer is consultation; we talk to God and listen to Him.

What did Jesus consider when he said we should ask, seek and knock? The answer to this question can be seen in the lines that follow. Jesus said: “If you, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13).

Inflamed by the Holy Spirit, Jesus visited Simon’s house, where he healed Simon’s mother-in-law, and that same night, the whole community brought to Jesus their sick and possessed relatives. Jesus healed both physical and spiritual ailments. He remains for us a healer. Nevertheless, to be admitted into Dr. Jesus’ clinic, we must go with our cards, which is faith (positive expectation).

God is patient, but we must not take His patience for granted. Jesus wasn’t speaking in parables when he spoke about the furnace of fire where men will weep and gnash their teeth. Jesus mentioned this “furnace of fire” while explaining the wheat and weeds parable. There comes a time when the reapers will enter the farm and gather the weeds; then, it will be too late. Repent now while it is possible.