Daily Mass Reflections - 5/9
“In Him we live and move and have our being”
These were the now legendary words of Paul in today’s 1st Reading (Acts 17:15, 22-18:1). Paul finds himself among the Athenians preaching the truth as taught to him by the way, the truth and the life Himself, Jesus. But it is when the topic turns to this notion of the Resurrection that many begin to turn a deaf ear. Scripture tells us however that there were in fact a few who became followers as a result of his witness on this day.
As we read the Acts of the Apostles and Paul’s Letters, it’s clear that our infant Church is galvanizing, forming and gaining traction with each passing day, certainly a very exciting time in the history of our Catholicism.
Today’s Gospel (John 16:12-15), succinct but powerful, once again foreshadows the coming of the Holy Spirit and the fulfillment of what we now know as The Holy Trinity. Jesus says to His disciples: “I have much more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now. But when he comes, the Spirit of truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are coming. He will glorify me, because he will take from what is mine and declare it to you. Everything that the Father has is mine; for this reason I told you that he will take from what is mine and declare it to you."
It is in this passage that we begin to really see the interwoven relationship between the Father, the Son and now the Holy Spirit.
“He will not speak on his own” ....but instead speak of God for the Spirit is of God (again, 3 entities in one triune being)
“He will glorify me” (Jesus) ....for through the working and moving of the Holy Spirit, it is Jesus our Savior who will always be with us, this despite His physical Ascension into Heaven.
Discernment and understanding of the Holy Trinity is difficult. For everyone. But what we see as we peel back Scripture is that once again, God provides us all that we need if we “knock, seek and ask.”
