Objective of the week: To allow Jesus to lead us to the greatest apostolic efficacy of forming apostles.
IntroductionYesterday was Pentecost Sunday wherein God’s love causes Jesus to promise and give us another Advocate. The Holy Spirit ------ the best gift of love God gives, stands beside us, comforts us when we ask, helps us in difficult times, and speaks in our behalf when we’re in need. All spiritual life, all holiness comes from the Holy Spirit. From time to time, if we have the sensitivity to perceive it, we are aware of what’s happening as we truly share the Spirit with one another. The Spirit is present in our common kindness, loving concern for one another, and bursts of inspiration. It is an awesome responsibility that Jesus would depend on us especially in forming apostles. Our witnessing is a day-to-day dedication with the help of the Holy Spirit. Let us be led to the greatest apostolic efficacy by learning how to form apostles, learning to choose and delegate people the tasks entrusted to us. We are not meant to do everything by ourselves. Let us learn to teach others the same openness and availability we have to the Spirit. Are you open to Jesus who is leading you to the greatest Apostolic efficacy ---- of forming apostles? MondayReceive the Holy Spirit 19 On the evening dof that day, the first day of the week, ethe doors being locked where the disciples were ffor fear of the Jews,3 Jesus came and stood among them and said to them,g“Peace be with you.” 20 When he had said this, hhe showed them his hands and his side. Theni the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. 21 Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As jthe Father has sent me, keven so I am sending you.” 22 And when he had said this, hel breathed on them and said to them, m“Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 nIf you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you withhold forgiveness from any, it is withheld.” (John 20:19-23) The disciples received the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the one that makes a person truly a disciple of Christ. They are sent by Him to the mission and are given the task of the forgiveness of sins. TuesdayI will pour my Spirit on everyone 16 But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17 ‘And it shall come to pass in the last days, says God, That I will pour out of My Spirit on all flesh; Your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, Your young men shall see visions, Your old men shall dream dreams. 18 And on My menservants and on My maidservants I will pour out My Spirit in those days; And they shall prophesy. (Acts 2:16-18) Before Jesus’ coming the Spirit was given only to the prophets. But now the Spirit comes to the entire people of God, as foretold. The miraculous pouring forth of the Spirit, was designed to awaken the hearers to embrace the faith of Christ, and to join themselves to his church. The Spirit is given, not to do away the Scriptures, but to enable us to understand, approve and obey the gifts that are set to be given to believers. WednesdayHouse of prayer for all nations 15 So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 16 And He would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. 17 Then He taught, saying to them, “Is it not written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations’?[a] But you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’ ” (Mark 11:15-17) 16 Do you not realise that you are a temple of God with the Spirit of God living in you? 17 If anybody should destroy the temple of God, God will destroy that person, because God's temple is holy; and you are that temple. (1 Corinthians 3:16-17) As persons filled by the Holy Spirit, our lives become His temple, His dwelling place. As Jesus said “My temple will be a house of prayer for all nations”, our lives are now meant to be places where people of all nations learn to pray and encounter Jesus. ThursdayChoose some men among you Now in those days, when the number of the disciples was multiplying, there arose a complaint against the Hebrews by the Hellenists,[a] because their widows were neglected in the daily distribution. 2 Then the twelve summoned the multitude of the disciples and said, “It is not desirable that we should leave the word of God and serve tables. 3 Therefore, brethren, seek out from among you seven men of good reputation, full of the Holy Spirit and wisdom, whom we may appoint over this business; 4 but we will give ourselves continually to prayer and to the ministry of the word.” 5 And the saying pleased the whole multitude. And they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit, and Philip, Prochorus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas, and Nicolas, a proselyte from Antioch, 6 whom they set before the apostles; and when they had prayed, they laid hands on them. 7 Then the word of God spread, and the number of the disciples multiplied greatly in Jerusalem, and a great many of the priests were obedient to the faith. (Acts 6:1-7) As the need of the Family grows, we must be guided by the Holy Spirit who knows very well how to take care of her. Let us learn how to prioritize things and to delegate tasks to others believing that each person also has received the power and the capacity from the Holy Spirit to take care of the flock. FridayThey can help you bear the responsibility 10 Then Moses heard the people weeping throughout their families, everyone at the door of his tent; and the anger of the Lord was greatly aroused; Moses also was displeased. 11 So Moses said to the Lord, “Why have You afflicted Your servant? And why have I not found favor in Your sight, that You have laid the burden of all these people on me? 12 Did I conceive all these people? Did I beget them, that You should say to me, ‘Carry them in your bosom, as a guardian carries a nursing child,’ to the land which You swore to their fathers? 13 Where am I to get meat to give to all these people? For they weep all over me, saying, ‘Give us meat, that we may eat.’ 14 I am not able to bear all these people alone, because the burden is too heavy for me. 15 If You treat me like this, please kill me here and now—if I have found favor in Your sight—and do not let me see my wretchedness!”16 So the Lord said to Moses: “Gather to Me seventy men of the elders of Israel, whom you know to be the elders of the people and officers over them; bring them to the tabernacle of meeting, that they may stand there with you.17 Then I will come down and talk with you there. I will take of the Spirit that is upon you and will put the same upon them; and they shall bear the burden of the people with you, that you may not bear it yourself alone. (Numbers 11:10-17) We may experience burden in carrying the responsibilities of a big Family, but we were not meant to bear it alone. Complaints may come and temptations to give up may stop us from moving forward, but if we listen to God, he makes us realize the truth and give us concrete and logical solutions to what seems to be big problems. SaturdayThey will shout like prophets 25 Then the Lord came down in the cloud, and spoke to him, and took of the Spirit that was upon him, and placed the same upon the seventy elders; and it happened, when the Spirit rested upon them, that they prophesied, although they never did so again.[a] 26 But two men had remained in the camp: the name of one was Eldad, and the name of the other Medad. And the Spirit rested upon them. Now they were among those listed, but who had not gone out to the tabernacle; yet they prophesied in the camp. 27 And a young man ran and told Moses, and said, “Eldad and Medad are prophesying in the camp.” 28 So Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, one of his choice men, answered and said, “Moses my lord, forbid them!” 29 Then Moses said to him, “Are you zealous for my sake? Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” (Numbers 11:25-29) As apostles, let us enter in the same zeal of God wanting that all of His people be formed as apostles, full of the Holy Spirit proclaiming the word to all. “Oh, that all the Lord’s people were prophets and that the Lord would put His Spirit upon them!” SundaySolemnity of the Most Holy Trinity1st Reading: Deuteronomy 4:32-34, 39-40
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 33 2nd Reading: Romans 8:14-17 Gospel: Matthew 28:16-20 Comments are closed.
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