Prayer Prompt before reading JN 14:21-26: Come, Holy Spirit, teach me how to pray, interpret the Scriptures for me so that I may know the Truth about who God the Father is and God the Son so that I may know who I am.
THE ADVOCATE, THE HOLY SPIRIT WHOM THE FATHER WILL SEND IN MY NAME — HE WILL TEACH YOU EVERYTHING AND REMIND YOU OF ALL THAT I TOLD YOU.” JN 14:21-26
Jesus says, “Remain in me as I remain in you. If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask for whatever you want and it will be done for you. By this is my Father glorified, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” Jn 15:1-8
How do we remain in Jesus? By keeping His commandments, John says, “And His commandment is this: we should believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another just as he commanded us. Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them, and the way we know he remains in us is from the Spirit he gave us.” 1 Jn 3:18-24
This leads us to today’s reading. Jesus is preparing the Apostles for Pentecost. “I have told you this while I am with you, the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name-he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” Jn 14:21-26
To remain in Jesus: 1. Keep His commandments (God as the center of your life). This requires sacrifice, self-control, prayer (same place/same time), reading Scripture to remember what those commandments are, fasting, God’s grace in the sacraments, and most importantly develop a personal relationship with God who is love. The reward, Jesus remains in you, joy, peace, eternal happiness.
2. Love one another. This requires you to love someone more than yourself, a self-gift. It requires sacrifice. It is a decision, not a feeling, although feelings are attached to it. It requires you to get outside your comfort zone and sometimes it requires change. It requires you to do things for someone who cannot repay you. This love is fulfilling and brings the greatest peace. We are all connected by God through this love. God is love, the rewards are eternal.
3. Allow the Holy Spirit to work in your life-Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit, and they shall be created. And you shall renew the face of the earth. (through us) Amen. As you try to listen to Jesus while reading the Scriptures, ask the Holy Spirit to guide you! We have the same Holy Spirit given to us at baptism as Pope Francis and St. Francis. The more open we are to the Holy Spirit’s guidance the more we will see the fruits of the Spirit in our lives: peace, joy, charity, generosity, gentleness, kindness, faithfulness, self-control, and patience or long-suffering.
Jesus must leave, so that we can be His hands and heart for the world guided by the Holy Spirit to keep love alive and the Gospel message. Jesus died in atonement for our sins and rose from the dead. We have a transcendental soul that is no longer chained by sin and death. We have earthly bodies to do works of mercy and love with souls that have a heavenly homeland.
Today’s challenge: Nourish your transcendental (spiritual) soul with God’s grace in the sacraments and ask the Holy Spirit to guide you so that we may be other Christ’s for the world.
Be a servant, be a saint today!
#Christian YODO (You Only Die Once; we will live again!)
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