TUESDAY, SECOND WEEK OF EASTER
Acts 4: 32-37; Ps 93: 1-2, 5; Jn 3: 7-15
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST
The Holy Spirit makes our faith in Jesus Christ come alive. The Lord makes His presence known to us through the work and power of the Holy Spirit. Today’s First Reading is a testimony of how important a role the Holy Spirit played in the lives of the Apostles – He gave them the gift of faith to know Jesus experientially – giving them a new life in Christ. This new life in Christ worked beautifully in the hearts and minds of the newly baptized. They were of one heart and mind and full of charity for one another. They were united as the Holy Spirit influenced them to have a brotherly love for one another. Warmth and love flowed through their hearts. This was a voluntary and free action of their own – no one forced it upon them – they gave willingly and freely because they wanted to.
The Spirit, which the Lord speaks of in the Gospel, had been made known in their life. The Holy Spirit had started drawing them closer and closer to Jesus and Jesus in turn had started making His presence known to them through the works and power of the Holy Spirit in their life. The apostles were reborn in the Spirit. This new spiritual life brought them into an experiential relationship with Jesus! Till then they had a catechetical relationship with Jesus but after the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, they had an experiential relationship with him.
The Holy Spirit was working powerfully, mysteriously and in secret hidden ways. They were changed human beings who were bold and opened up their lives and hearts to one another. The divine force of the Holy Spirit was working mightily in their lives. They were lifted in life because of the new enlightenment they received – Jesus was directing the Holy Spirit to fulfill his words in the apostles. As the psalmist writes about the power of God both in heaven and on earth, the apostles are made witnesses to this power through the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in their lives.
Response: The Lord is king, with majesty enrobed.
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