BEING EASTER PEOPLE (6)

BEING EASTER PEOPLE (6)

BE STILL AND KNOW THAT I AM GOD.

Be in your prayer space, follow the usual steps and settle into silence.

Sit still…..Relax…….Do not rush………

Take a couple of gentle, slow and deep breaths…becoming aware of your breath going in and out… stay focused on this breath of life……

Now from the depth of your heart begin to wish your mind well……….

Take a moment. Bless your day. Let your day Bless you……

Take another moment. Bless your world. Let your world bless you……

We continue our meditation on being Easter People. Our last meditation was on being people of Hope, being Optimistic. Today we dwell on the promise of Jesus to send us His Holy Spirit to enable and empower us to carry on His mission to its fulfillment.

Luke tells us one of the most amazing stories (Luke 24:46-53)….the story of Jesus calling and trusting his men to be witnesses of his suffering, death and resurrection and sending them with his mission of bringing good news to the world. These were the men who failed to stand by him when he was being tried and condemned to death. These were the men who remained behind closed doors for fear of the Jews, after the death of their master. These were the men who hesitated to believe in his resurrection. But, Jesus trusted them with his mission. What an amazing act of trust…trusting men who proved unreliable!!!!

Today, we, with all our limitations and inconsistencies, are trusted with this good news and are called to bring this good news of Jesus to the world. Reflected on being trusted with the mission of Jesus.

With great wisdom, knowing the limitations of his men, Jesus asked them to wait “until you are clothed with power from on high”……. to wait for the Holy Spirit to empower them. This is a reminder for us to be conscious of our own limitations and powerlessness; to rely not on our abilities or powers, but on the gift of the Holy Spirit, on being empowered by the Holy Spirit.

Learn to wait patiently with arms and hearts and minds that are open to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit!

Luke tells us that after he had instructed his disciples to wait for the Holy Spirit, Jesus blessed them and then was taken up into heaven (Luke 24:46-53). They returned to Jerusalem and were found praising God in the temple. They waited as their master had instructed them.

This is the amazing story….this is the story of an end and a beginning that was continuous, that merged…an end that ran into a beginning and a beginning that grew out of an end. This is the story of the ascension of the Lord, which is the story of “continuity” and not a break from what they had come to know and experience. This is the story of the Church being called, sent and empowered to continue what Jesus began. It is the story of Jesus asking the disciples to wait to be filled so that they become more fully involved. It is the story of the disciples being enabled and empowered to live and share the good news of Jesus. This story invites us to wait and remain open to receive the gift of the Holy Spirit and be empowered to fulfill the mission of Jesus.

Be still! Wait patiently! Wait with open arms, minds and hearts! May the Holy Spirit fill you with all the gifts you need to fulfill your mission in life!

Luke tells us that the Holy Spirit empowered the Church to continue where Jesus had left off at his death
(Acts 1:1-11). The Holy Spirit filled the disciples of Jesus with courage and strength to proclaim the risen Lord and to live the life which Jesus called them to live. The disciples had misunderstood the message of Jesus about the kingdom. They thought in terms of an earthly, political reality. Jesus had to change their concepts. This excerpt from Acts tells us that his disciples needed the Holy Spirit to teach them and empower them to carry on his mission. Jesus trusted the disciples with his mission and empowered them to continue and fulfill his mission.

We would also experience courage and strength if we would learn to wait, to be still…to wait for being strengthened by the presence and movement of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus had spoken to the disciples much about the Holy Spirit. He said to the disciples: I will ask the Father and He will send you another helper who will stay with you forever (Jn.14:16). The helper, the Holy Spirit will teach you everything and make you remember all I have told you (Jn.14:26). The Sprit will give them courage to stand up and witness to him in the face of difficulties (Jn. 15:26-27).

The Spirit will lead them into truth (Jn.16:7-8, 13). Jesus breathed on them and said: “receive the Holy Spirit’ (Jn. 20:21-22). At Pentecost, the Sprit took “possession” of them (Acts 2:2-3). The Spirit transformed the disciples and Peter who denied knowing Jesus, so that they could go outside and begin preaching and proclaiming Jesus (Acts 2:15-17).

• It is the Holy Spirit within us who moves us to respond to God.
• Our witness to Christ is inspired and sustained by the Holy Spirit from within.
• Our witness comes from long, lasting fellowship and intimacy with Christ. The disciples were witnesses because they have been with him. We can witness Christ only when we have been with him.
• The spirit brings us into this fellowship with Christ and sustains that relationship.
• The witness comes from inner conviction, personal conviction. There can be no effective witness without personal conviction. The Sprit empowers, strengthens and sustains our conviction.
• The witness flows into outward testimony. A Christian witness is a person who not only knows Christ but wants others to know Christ. He is prepared to speak what is in his heart.
• The Spirit empowers the person to speak the truth that is in the heart.
• The Sprit gives courage to stand up and witness to him in the face of difficulties.
• In Scripture, the presence of the Holy Spirit is always an occasion of the return of harmony from chaos, freedom from slavery, rebirth from death.

Pray that you may experience the Holy Spirit rushing in with gifts that will transform you into “Sons of God”.

Luke tells us that the Holy Spirit empowered the Church to continue where Jesus had left off at his death (Acts 1:1-11). Jesus had asked the apostles to wait on the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit filled them with courage and strength to proclaim the risen Lord and to live the life which Jesus called them to live.

Today, it is up to us to continue the mission of Jesus.
Rejoice in being trusted with the mission of Jesus and be faithful.

You are sent as Christ to the world not to change water into wine or to multiply bread and feed five thousand or to raise the dead or to walk on the water or to save the world. Your Call is to stand your ground… to be grounded, rooted in Him and growing in him.

Your call is to be counted among thousands who send their roots deep into the very person of Jesus – into his life, death and resurrection.

The call is to be transformed by his love. The call is to let that love be visible, be present, be the ground of all that you are.

The Jesus who will be recognized in you is not the all powerful, all loving, all good, all compassionate – perfect Jesus – you could never be that. It is Jesus who consoles you, comforts you, encourages you, supports you in your weakness, loves you, forgives you, calls you, challenges you, heals you – it this Jesus who shines through you – not in all perfection, but in an ever transforming experience of Grace. It is Jesus, who said to St. Paul “My grace is enough…” It is His Grace working through your weakness….you are being carried in Grace with all your limitations, weaknesses as well as goodness and strength.

Loving God,

Give us faith and trust,

courage and patience,

strength and insight,

discerning heart and wisdom,

to remain open to the transforming power of

your Holy Spirit. Amen

“Go courageously to do whatever you are called to do.” (St. Francis de Sales)

Fr. Gus Tharappel, msfs