General Theme: “Our dedication is to believe and enjoy being children of God where the Holy Spirit brings us beyond frontiers.” General Objective: - to believe and enjoy being children of God in order to understand the Verbum Dei charism and Mission. - to allow the Holy Spirit to lead us beyond frontiers. Objective of the week: To live as children of God – led by the Holy Spirit.
INTRODUCTION
Last Sunday, the whole Catholic Church celebrated the Pentecost. It marks the end of the goal of the Easter season. It is a memorial of the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles in the form of fiery tongues, an event that took place fifty days after the resurrection of Jesus. The Paschal Mystery of the Passion, the Death , the Resurrection and ascention of Jesus is completed in sending the of the Holy Spirit by the Father as the request of the Son upon His disciples. The gift of the Holy Spirit moves us into action and inspires us to share this gift with others. How beautiful is the thought that the Holy Spirit is lives within us. “Do you not know that you are God’s temple and that the Holy Spirit dwell in you”? (1Cor.3:16) It is the Holy Spirit who develops our intimacy with God as His children. To enjoy our identity as children of God, we need to permit the Holy Spirit to direct our lives by constantly remembering and appreciating His Holy Presence within us. We need the help of the Holy Spirit against all types of temptations and to seek His assistance in our thoughts, words and deeds. By listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit speaking to us through the Bible, we can always enjoy our identity as a children of God. Without the Holy Spirit, we are dead. Without breath, there is no life. If we don’t allow the Holy Spirit to lead us, we can be like frozen people, frozen in our prayer, frozen in our relationship with others, frozen in our faith. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle in us the Spirit of new life and enthusiasm, the fire of God’s love. MONDAY A Child of God Obeys the Holy Spirit 26 Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” 27 So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, 28 and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. 29 The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” 30 Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. 31 “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him.32 This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent, so he did not open his mouth.33 In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants. For his life was taken from the earth.34 The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” 35 Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus.36 As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” 38 And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. (Acts 8:26-38) A child of God follows the command and revelation of the Holy Spirit in the WORD, in order that he may explain it to others and helps others live their identity as children of God. TUESDAY The Effects of the Holy Spirit is Visible in the Child of God The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit." (John 3:8) We cannot see the Holy Spirit but like the wind, we can see the effects of the Holy Spirit in our words and in deeds. What are the effects of the Holy Spirit in you? Do these effects bring joy to you and others? WEDNESDAY A Child of God Lives in Love 13 This is how we know that we live in him and he in us: He has given us of his Spirit. 14 And we have seen and testify that the Father has sent his Son to be the Savior of the world. 15 If anyone acknowledges that Jesus is the Son of God, God lives in them and they in God. 16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them. 17 This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus. (John 4:13-17) God reveals His incredible love to you. This love will produce in you a new nature that will allow you to love others regardless of their response to you. If we are living in love, our lives begin to demonstrate the fruits of the Holy Spirit: love, joy, peace, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Whose life is waiting to be touched by your love today? THURSDAY A Child of God Fulfills the Great Commission: To Evangelize the World 2 And the things you have heard me say in the presence of many witnesses entrust to reliable people who will also be qualified to teach others. (2 Timothy 2:2) 9 At once the man was cured; he picked up his mat and walked. The day on which this took place was a Sabbath, 10 and so the Jewish leaders said to the man who had been healed, “It is the Sabbath; the law forbids you to carry your mat.” 11 But he replied, “The man who made me well said to me, ‘Pick up your mat and walk.’ ” 12 So they asked him, “Who is this fellow who told you to pick it up and walk?” John 5:9-12 Having received so much from our community Verbum Dei, it is but right and just that we are to teach others what we have been receiving. God’s message for us is to focus on preaching the gospel so that many souls will be saved. How passionate are you to fulfill God’s great commission? FRIDAY A Child of God Magnifies Christ Alone 27 To this John replied, “A person can receive only what is given them from heaven. 28 You yourselves can testify that I said, ‘I am not the Messiah but am sent ahead of him.’ 29 The bride belongs to the bridegroom. The friend who attends the bridegroom waits and listens for him, and is full of joy when he hears the bridegroom’s voice. That joy is mine, and it is now complete. 30 He must become greater; I must become less.” (John 3:27-30) Whatever we do, whatever successes we have personally or in the community, let it magnifies the name of the Lord. In what way you can magnify the name of the Lord today? SATURDAY A Child of God Has a Special Relationship With Jesus 13 People were bringing little children to Jesus for him to place his hands on them, but the disciples rebuked them. 14 When Jesus saw this, he was indignant. He said to them, “Let the little children come to me, and do not hinder them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. 15 Truly I tell you, anyone who will not receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” 16 And he took the children in his arms, placed his hands on them and blessed them. (Mark 10:13-16) If we are into special relationship with Jesus, we are to be receptive to powerlessness rather than seeking power, to have willingness to trust to God’s will and to have faith in the plan of God for our lives. Do you enjoy your relationship with Jesus? To whom do you put your trust today? SUNDAY 1st Reading: Proverbs 8:22-31 Responsorial Psalm: Ps. 8:4-5,6-7,12-15 2nd Reading: Romans 5:1-5 Gospel: John 16:12-15 Comments are closed.
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