Reflection on the Daily Readings for 5/20/09 by Fr. Bertrand Buby, SM

Today’s Readings


Scripture: Acts 17:15.22-18:1. Psalm 148:1-2.11-12.12-14.14. John 16:12-15.
Lectionary # 293:

"The Spirit of truth will guide you to all truth." Truth in the Johannine
sense does not have a simple intellectual act that responds to the way
things are in word and deed.  Rather, truth is the reality of God working
through nature, humanity, and the graces given to those who respond to God
in their lives.  When Jesus speaks, it is the truth and it is manifested in
effects that go beyond what we can do.  God's truth is in the Spirit who
guides us as we are told in John's Gospel.  The Spirit reveals to us the
plan of God and how we are to respond to it.  Doing God's will is a sign of
our recognizing truth in this sense.  The Holy Spirit is sent to us through
the love of Jesus for his Father and the Father for Jesus.  And we are
blessed for God does not leave us orphans. The imprint of God is within us
and our baptism makes it come alive in the truth that is God's.  The
indwelling of the Spirit makes us free just as the truth that Jesus has
given us confirms our freedom.

St. Paul came to realize this in the conversion he had after seeing the
Risen Lord. He then was so passionate about speaking God's truth that he
brought it to both Jews and Gentiles and continued to do so till his last
breath. He came to identify himself with Jesus and asked others to do the
same. In Philippians he says, "For me to live is Christ."  And to those
listening to him who become endeared to him Paul says, "My little children
with whom I am in labor until Christ is formed within you."  Jesus became
the reality of truth and life for Paul and he lived his life passionately
for God and for God's people.

This Pentecost we too are experiencing the truth and guidance of the Spirit
who is united to God the creator of all that is good.  We may wish to thank
God that we are so graced through baptism that we have the gifts of the
Spirit within us.  Again we will celebrate the birthday of the Church at
Pentecost and our birthday into the Church through the grace of our baptism
in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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