6th Sunday of EasterActs 8:5-8, 14-17 1 Peter 3:15-18 John 14:15-21 The Gospel this weekend is this:
John 14:15-21 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate * to be with you always, 17 the Spirit of truth, * which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you. 18 I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you. * 19 In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me, because I live and you will live. 20 On that day you will realize that I am in my Father and you are in me and I in you. 21 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." The first reading is this: Acts 8:5-8, 14-17 5 Thus Philip went down to (the) city of Samaria and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 6 With one accord, the crowds paid attention to what was said by Philip when they heard it and saw the signs he was doing. 7 For unclean spirits, crying out in a loud voice, came out of many possessed people, and many paralyzed and crippled people were cured. 8 There was great joy in that city… 14 Now when the apostles in Jerusalem heard thatSamaria had accepted the word of God, they sent them Peter and John, 15 who we-nt down and prayed for them, that they might receive the holy Spirit, 16 for it had not yet fallen upon any of them; they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. * 17 Then they laid hands on them and they received the holy Spirit. The second reading is this: 1 Peter 3:15-18 15 but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts. Always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you for a reason for your hope, 16 but do it with gentleness and reverence, keeping your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who defame your good conduct in Christ may themselves be put to shame. 17 For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that be the will of God, than for doing evil. 18 For Christ also suffered * for sins once, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, that he might lead you to God. Put to death in the flesh, he was brought to life in the spirit. MEDITATION: The readings this Sunday are about the fact that the Trinity are forever with us, although not in the flesh (incarnated) like Jesus was. They are forever with us. Next Sunday, Jesus heads off (Ascension) and the following one, the Spirit arrives (Pentecost). I've never seen Christ in the flesh, but for some reason, I don't get bored meditating his Word over and over again. There must be something that keeps moving me, and it's not some-thing but some-one. It's the Spirit that Jesus promises today. "He was put to death in the flesh, and brought to life in the spirit" (1Pt 3:18). Two thousand years have gone by since the Ascension, but the truth is that the Love of God is still with us. He's not walking the road through life (and death) in front of us, He's walking with us - within us! It's not a physical, visible presence in the flesh, it's much more. That promise of the Holy Spirit is the theme of today. It's like a prologue to Pentecost (which we'll celebrate in two weeks). The love of God is very much alive and is knocking at all of our doors. That's the Holy Spirit. But opening to it is a question of our personal sensitivity. We live in a material world, but there can be something more than material things in the beauty of life - in nature - especially in human nature. There's the beauty of Love. And there's a tremendous potential that just needs to be activated. That's where the Holy Spirit comes in. 'The Word became flesh, and dwelt among us' as we read in the Bible, but our cold hearts need to be set on fire. That's where the Holy Spirit comes in. John the baptist said that Jesus would baptize with Spirit and fire (Mt 3:11- Lk 3:16) just as tongues of fire appear at Pentecost (Acts 2:3). Jesus himself says: "I have come to set the earth on fire, and how I wish it were already blazing!” (Lk 12:49). Something in me enkindled the fire of a love that inspired me to do a crazy thing like becoming a religious missionary. I'm glad! It was a surprise to me. But I realize now that it wasn't some-thing - it was some-one - God Himself - which is the Holy Spirit. Jesus himself tells us so today: “The Father will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth.” (Jn 14:16). It's been conceived in our baptism and born in our confirmation, but it needs to be 'brought up' in our lives. It's knocking at our own personal door and it's asking to help be nurtured in others also. It's so much more than a matter of fulfilling rules and obeying commandments. It's a type of love affair! The Word is in our hearts, but we've got to 'sanctify the Lord in our hearts' (1 Pt 3:15). We'll be opening the door to a great gift. He's our 'advocate' - a defense against a lethal disease - selfishness and pride. Our 'advocate' doesn't come up with a superficial excuse to 'get us off the hook'. He heals us. He inspires us to respect and help others. We genuflect before the tabernacles of our Churches, but do we 'genuflect' in our hearts before every human being? I loved it when I saw a priest once, genuflect before the little baby he had just baptized! It's important that the call to 'keep commandments' today (Jn 14:15), isn't a call to be like obedient slaves, but to truly love the Trinity as family and friends. We need to have our hearts moved, rather than just fulfill a list of rules, and that's the role of the Spirit in us. In Islam, there's a very 'absolute' law which has to be obeyed and that's it, but in our faith there's a living God within us. And He's it! Reducing religion to a matter of obeying written rules is actually one of the reasons for which the Jewish leaders condemned Jesus! It's interesting that our Church from the beginning was actually 'breaking the rules' of the religious leaders of the Jews 2,000 years ago! 'When they had brought the apostles in and made them stand before the Sanhedrin, the high priest questioned them, "We gave you strict orders did we not?...' (Acts 5:28). The writers of philosophy who haven't opened up to our need for the wisdom of God, are called 'knostics'. They reckon that mankind finds out all they need to know about life, just by using their own brains. I think that the really clever brain, is the one who wants to listen to the supreme 'brains' - to the Trinity, and offering the Spirit to us is Christ's way of offering us the chance to do that listening. But, of course, it's not a matter of listening to sound waves! The Trinity guide us all together, and They also guide each person individually. That's why a personal life of prayer is so important. It's a matter of personal relationships with God. But the 'rules' of the Church, are there to help us arrive at that relationship - and to ensure that we don't let things slip. The 'catecisms' that we are given as children, should really begin with a good article on the love of God and his beautiful ideal for us to be his happy family. From there, 'instructions' and 'commandments' can be seen clearly as gifts - as Gods way of ensuring his ideal. So is our faith just a fulfillment of traditions, or is it a real love-story? Obeying rules and regulations of our Church may be a great way to love God. There may be many other things that God also desires, but that aren't listed out for us as rules and regulations. That's why personal prayer is so important. We don't celebrate Mass without reading the Bible readings. But do we really pay attention and meditate and apply the readings to our own lives? It says today that 'spirits' came out of people after the Word was proclaimed by Philip. In other words, it challenges us and gets us to change. It gets us to overcome our indifference and become interested in each member of our human family. Philip prays and preaches today, and that's the official 'charism' of Verbum Dei, but of course prayer is much more than presenting petitions to God. It's a time of listening to what God wants to say to us - to listen and learn and obey. Then we keep asking. And be concerned about passing Good News on to others. At least, as Peter says, be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks for a reason for your hope. The 'ministry of the Word isn't just for Peter and Co. (as in the first reading last Sunday). That's so even if faced with opposition or insults, as the second reading describes today. God gives us the capacity to overcome problems, just as the first Christians overcame many persecutions. Cripples get cured today by Philip (Acts 8), so what about this 'beloved' M.S.? It may well be cured - if God wants. If not, that's OK.. Being able to give that “OK” in itself, is a great cure! Thanks, Holy Spirit! There's a lot still to be done in my heart… and I'd love to help pass you on to others also! Please come! ........... Dara. En ESPAÑOL: 6° domingo de Pascua: Hechos 8:5-8, 14-17. 1°P 3:15-18. Jn 14:15-21. Las lecturas de este domingo tratan sobre el hecho de que la Trinidad está con nosotros siempre y para siempre, aunque no en la carne (encarnada) como era Jesús. Están siempre con nosotros. El próximo domingo, Jesús se va (la Ascensión) y el siguiente, el Espíritu llega (Pentecostés). Nunca he visto a Cristo en la carne, pero por alguna razón, no me aburro meditando su Palabra una y otra vez. Debe haber algo que me sigue moviendo, y no es algo sino alguien. Es el Espíritu que Jesús promete hoy. ‘Su vida fue arrebatada en la carne y empezó a vivir en espíritu.’ (1ºPt 3:18). Muchos años han pasado desde que ascendió Jesús, pero la verdad es que el Amor de Dios todavía está con nosotros. No está atravesando el camino de la vida (y muerte) delante de nosotros, sino está caminando con nosotros - ¡dentro de nosotros! No es una presencia física, visible en la carne, sino mucho más. La promesa del Espíritu Santo es el tema de hoy. Es como un prólogo al Pentecostés (qué celebraremos en dos semanas). El amor de Dios está muy vivo y está llamando a nuestras puertas. Ése es el Espíritu Santo. Pero abrirle a Él es cuestión de nuestra sensibilidad personal. Vivimos en un mundo material, pero debe ser que hay algo más que cosas materiales en la belleza de la vida - en la naturaleza - sobre todo en la naturaleza humana. Está la belleza del Amor. Y hay una potencia tremenda que sólo necesita ser activada. Allí actúa el Espíritu Santo. ‘La Palabra se hizo carne y habitó entre nosotros’. Leemos la Biblia, pero nuestros corazones fríos necesitan ser calentados en el fuego del Amor. Aquí es donde actúa el Espíritu Santo. Juan Bautista dijo que Jesús bautizaría con el Espíritu y fuego (Mt 3:11 - Lc 3:16) y por eso en Pentecostés aparecen las lenguas de fuego (Hchos 2:3). Jesús dice: “He venido a encender fuego en la tierra, y ¡cómo deseo que esté ardiendo!” (Lc 12:49). Algo en mí encendió el fuego de un amor que me inspiró a hacer una cosa loca como hacerse un misionero religioso. ¡Me alegro! Era una sorpresa para mí. Pero entiendo ahora que no era una cosa sino una persona – parte de Dios mismo - qué es el Espíritu Santo. El propio Jesús nos lo dice hoy: “El Padre os dará otro Abogado que estará siempre con vosotros: el Espíritu de la Verdad.” (Jn 14:16). Es concebido en nuestro bautismo y nace en nuestra confirmación, pero necesita ser amado y formado durante toda la vida. Está golpeando a nuestras propias puertas personales y está pidiéndonos que le ayudemos también en su formación en otros. Se trata de mucho más que un cumplimiento de reglas y una obediencia. ¡Es un tipo de aventura amorosa! La Palabraestá en la Biblia, pero tenemos que ‘santificar al Señor en nuestros corazones’ (1ºPd 3:15). Estaremos abriendo la puerta a un gran regalo. Él es nuestro ‘abogado’ - una defensa contra una enfermedad letal - el egoísmo y el orgullo. Nuestro ‘abogado’ no viene con una excusa superficial para esconder problemas. Él nos sana. Nos inspira respetar y ayudar a otros. Doblamos la rodilla ante los tabernáculos de nuestras Iglesias, pero ¿nos inclinamos de corazón ante cada ser humano? ¡Me gustó el ver a un sacerdote una vez, doblar la rodilla ante el bebé pequeño que acababa de bautizar! Es importante que la llamada a guardar mandamientos hoy (Jn 14:15), no es una llamada a ser como esclavos obedientes, sino a amar a la Trinidad de verdad como familia y amigos. Necesitamos tener nuestros corazones animados, en lugar de simplemente cumplir una lista de reglas, y ése es el papel del Espíritu en nosotros. En el Islam, hay una ley absoluta a la que hay que obedecer, pero en nuestra fe hay un Dios viviente dentro de nosotros. ¡Y Él es absoluto! ¡La religión reducida a una obediencia a reglas escritas era uno de las razones por la que los líderes judíos condenaron a Jesús! ¡Es interesante que nuestra Iglesia al principio estaba saltándose las reglas de los líderes religiosos de los judíos hace muchos años! ‘Cuándo habían traído a los apóstoles y les habían hecho estar de pie ante el Sanedrín, el sumo sacerdote los cuestionó, “¿No e os hemos dado órdenes estrictas?... ' (Hchos 5:28). Los escritores de filosofía que no se han abiertos a la necesidad de la sabiduría de Dios, se llaman ‘los nósticos’. Ellos piensan que la humanidad puede descubrir por su cuenta, todo lo que necesita saber. Pienso que el cerebro más prudente, es el que quiere escuchar a ‘los cerebros supremos’ – a la Trinidad, y Cristo nos ofrece el Espíritu para poderles escuchar bien. ¡Pero, claro, no es una cuestión de escuchar ondas de sonido! La Trinidad nos guía a todos juntos, y también guían a cada persona individualmente. Por eso una vida personal de oración es tan importante. Es un asunto de relaciones personales con Dios. Pero ‘las reglas’ de la Iglesia, están para ayudarnos a llegar a esa relación - y para evitar todo resbalón de las cosas. Creo que ‘el catecismo’ que se da a niños debería empezar con un artículo bueno sobre el amor de Dios y su ideal bonito de vernos llegar a ser su familia feliz. Desde allí se ve que ‘las instrucciones’ son regalos - como la manera de la Trinidad de asegurar su ideal. ¿Entonces nuestra fe es solamente un cumplimiento de tradiciones o es un camino de amor auténtico? Obedecer a las reglas de nuestra Iglesia puede ser una manera buena de amar a Dios, pero puede haber muchas otras cosas que Dios también desea. Por eso la oración personal es tan importante. No celebramos la misa sin leer las lecturas de la Biblia. ¿Pero realmente prestamos atención y meditamos y aplicamos las lecturas a nuestras propias vidas? Dice la primera lectura hoy que ‘los espíritus salieron de las personas después de que la Palabra fue proclamada por Felipe’. Es decir, la Palabra nos desafía y consigue que cambiemos. Consigue curar nuestra indiferencia y nos hace dar importancia a cada miembro de nuestra familia humana. Felipe ora y predica hoy, y ése es ‘el carisma’ oficial de Verbum Dei, pero claro la oración es mucho más que presentar peticiones a Dios. Es un tiempo de escuchar lo que Dios quiere comunicarnos a nosotros - escuchar y aprender y obedecer. Desde allí, seguimos preguntando. Y nos preocupamos en comunicar la Buena Nueva a otros. Al menos, como pide Pedro hoy, estemos listos a dar una explicación a cualquiera que pregunte por la razón de nuestra esperanza. ‘El ministerio de la Palabra’ no es solamente para Pedro y Compañía (como en la primera lectura del domingo pasado). Y seguiremos aún cuando hay oposición o insultos, como describe la segunda lectura hoy. Dios nos da la capacidad de superar problemas, así como los primeros cristianos superaron muchas persecuciones. Se curan los cojos hoy ante Felipe (Hchos 8), y ¿se curará el bendito esclerosis múltiple en mi? Creo de verdad que Dios puede, pero si por algún motivo, quiere que siga, ése es OK... ¡Poder dar ese “OK” en sí mismo, es una gran curación! Este ‘cura’ se siente bastante curado. ¡Doy gracias al Espíritu Santo! Hay mucho por hacer todavía en mi corazón… y me gustaría regalarlo a otros también. ¡Por favor venga! Comments are closed.
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