LISTEN TO THE INSPIRATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - 05/22/22 (Monday of the Sixth Week of Easter)

John 15:26-27

26 But when the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, He will bear witness to Me; 27 and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning. 

John 16:1-2

1"I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away. 2 They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.

For the full readings, click here: 

https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/daily-readings

Blessed Monday! The Solemnity of the Ascension of our Lord is coming near. The disciples were initially afraid when Jesus revealed to them that He would go back to the Father. And yet, what gave them courage was the promise of Jesus, the coming of the Holy Spirit. Our Lord Jesus sends the Holy Spirit to us from the Father to bear witness to Him. This is one reason why the Holy Spirit is also called the "Spirit of Truth" because He will always remind us and lead us to Jesus, who is the Truth. 

The Holy Spirit bears witness to Jesus Christ, most specially in our prayers. We just need to listen to the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. Prayers are not just about us talking to God. It's a conversation which means we also need to listen to the promptings of God. When we examine our actions, the Holy Spirit will guide us and show us our faults for us to ponder on them and persevere in our virtues. When we reflect on the Word of God, it's not merely about obtaining historical information, but we listen to the voice of Christ through the guidance of the Spirit of Truth for us to imitate our Savior and do the will of God. 

There are also other instances when the Holy Spirit reminds us of Jesus. Because God has a plan for us, we can discern God's will and make a decision in accordance with His will by seeking the help of the Holy Spirit. Sometimes, we receive inspiration to pray, not just for ourselves, but also for other people. However, just because we always listen to the Holy Spirit, it doesn't mean that there will be no struggles in our lives. The disciples would be persecuted by many people even though they thought they were still worshipping God. In our lives, even if we may not face life threatening dangers from other people, there are moments when others are angry with us, speak negative words pertaining to us, or belittle us while thinking that there is nothing wrong with their actions. 

These are just some of the challenges in our personal lives, but they are also obstacles for our spiritual lives. Because of this, some people may lose their dedication in prayers after facing many problems. Still, our Lord tells us that we are also His witnesses. The sign that we desire to be His witness is when we remain diligent in our prayer life amidst the difficulties of life. The Holy Spirit desires for us to trust in Him and listen to Him more so, like the apostles, we may remain faithful to the will of God. What do we do when we are faced with challenges, even from other people? Do we remain diligent to our prayers or do we start to neglect them? May we always listen to the Holy Spirit for us to not fall away from grace. If we open our hearts to the Spirit of Truth, He will enlighten our minds and set our hearts on fire with His love. 

Amen +

Jesus, Mary, and Joseph, be with us always until the hour of our death. Amen. +

 

May the Lord + bless us, protect us from all evil and bring us to everlasting life. Amen. +  

Reflection by: Dominic