MONDAY, SIXTH WEEK OF EASTER
Acts 16: 11-15; Ps 149: 1-6, 9; Jn 15: 26 — 16: 4
TRUE CONVERSION OF HEART
Every baptized person is expected to be a witness to Jesus Christ and his kingdom in his/her own way, each day in life. As we all know in baptism we become the children of God, our original sin is forgiven and we become members of the Holy Catholic Church. In the Gospel passage, Jesus gives the reason why we can give witness to Him. The reason is that the chief witness to Jesus is the Holy Spirit and the Holy Spirit witnesses to Jesus in and through our way of life.
We are chosen and empowered to become the Lord’s witnesses through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. This is only possible when we turn away from our sinful nature and are ready to change our hearts. What does this conversion of heart mean? It means to be away from all aspects of life which are against the commandments of God such as vain glory, pride, greed, covetousness, lust, inordinate or illicit sexual desire, envy, gluttony, which is usually understood to include drunkenness, wrath, or anger, and sloth.
The Catechism of the Church, tells us that only a life of continuous conversion gives us the needed spiritual focus and energy to strive for the holiness that befits us as children of the Kingdom: “The first work of the Holy Spirit is conversion. Moved by grace, man turns towards God and away from sin, thus accepting forgiveness and righteousness from on high” (CCC 1989). The Spirit initiates this ongoing conversion in our lives, moving us from sin and self-centered living and drawing us to God and His will for us.
The message of Pope Francis in his Apostolic Exhortation Christus Vivit is that Christ is alive, He is our hope, and wonderfully He brings youth to our world, and everything He touches becomes young, new and full of life. Every Christian must believe that Christ is alive and He wants his disciples to be fully alive.
Response: The Lord takes delight in his people.
Copyright ©2023 ©Springs of Living Water http://springs.carmelmedia.in