WHO IS THE HOLY SPIRIT?
HE IS THE THIRD PERSON OF THE BLESSED TRINITY. HE IS THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH. THE LORD AND GIVER OF ABUNDANT LIFE. HE IS OUR ADVOCATE. THE VOICE THAT SPEAKS IN COURT FOR US. THE HOLY SPIRIT IS THE GREAT FRIEND THAT IS CLOSER TO US THAN OUR GARMENT.

"Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning." (John 15: 26....16: 4).

"And you also will testify..."
What does this mean for you and for me? Testify is another word for witness which comes from the Greek word MARTYR. Jesus is saying that in small ways and big ways, we shall be martyrs for Him every day.

“I have told you this so that you may not fall away. They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.”

Do not be frightened of being a martyr for Jesus in your work, home, church and public places. This is why Jesus said that the Holy Spirit will help us to bear witness to Him. Without the Holy Spirit, no one can be a martyr for Jesus.

Example of those who witnessed to Jesus through the power of the Holy Spirit after Pentecost:
Peter, John, Stephen, Barnabas, James. These saints are mentioned in the Acts of the Apostles.

In today's first Reading from Acts 16: 11 - 15, a wealthy business woman of Philippi witnessed to Jesus after she was baptized by St Paul.

The Cross and Martyrdom are intrinsic to the very essence of Christianity. "It was ordained that the Christ should suffer and rise from the dead, and so enter into his glory." (Luke 24: 46, 26). So must we. 

5. 22. “The Magnificat is Our Lady’s Prayer of thanks. She can help us to love Jesus best; she is the one who can show us the shortest way to Jesus. Mary was the one whose intercession led Jesus to work the first miracle. ‘They have no wine,’ she said to Jesus. ‘Do whatever he tells you,’ she said to the servants."  (Mother St Teresa of Kolkata).

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TEACH ME ABBA FATHER TO SEE YOUR LOVE FOR ME AS MY GUIDE IN EVERY EVENT IN MY LIFE. YOUR MIGHTY, MERCIFUL AND MYSTERIOUS PROVIDENCE IS ALWAYS IN CONTROL OF EVERYTHING. ALL SEASONS. ALL TRIALS & PERSECUTIONS.

"Jesus said to his disciples: “If the world hates you, ­realize that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, the world would love its own; but because you do not belong to the world, and I have chosen you out of the world, the world hates you. Remember the word I spoke to you, ‘No slave is greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will also persecute you. If they kept my word, they will also keep yours. And they will do all these things to you on account of my name, because they do not know the one who sent me." (John 15: 18 - 21).

Saturday 21st May 2022, in the 5th Week of Easter is also the feast of St Christopher Magallanes (1869 - 1927), Priest and his companions martyrs. The Mexican government was very anti-Catholic and anti clerical in the 1920s.  It massacred the 21 priests and 3 lay men during the Cristeros movement between 1915 and 1937. Our Gospel of today warns us to be prepared for persecution. The Cristeros members were ready for the murderous persecution unleashed by the Mex
Mexican government.

The Gospel for today shows the reality and certainty of persecution in the Christian ministry. The disciple of Christ is the bearer of the Good News. He is kind, gentle and generous in his ways. Naturally he expects to be welcomed with smiles and open arms. This does not always happen. What he may experience may be outright rejection of his person and his message. He is treated as a bearer of Bad News who deserves persecution.
This is why Jesus teaches naive disciples this basic lesson: Remember! Remember! Remember! Forget this lesson and you will be fried as a fish. I Jesus am the Lord, you are my servants. I am the Rabbi. You are my disciples. The people I am sent to, reject My message. They curse me and maltreat me. Before your eyes, they will crucify Me. Tell Me honestly: How do you think they will treat you? You bear my name. My name provokes their hatred.

Since God cursed the Ancient Serpent, the warfare between Satan and man has not abated:  "From now on you and the woman will be enemies, as will your offspring and hers. You will strike his heel, but he will crush your head.” (Genesis 3: 15).

We see in the Old Testament, the types and shadows of the persecuted Jesus Christ:
Abel persecuted by Cain, Jacob by Esau, Joseph by his brethren, David by Saul, Elijah by Ahab. These are examples to drive home the teaching of Jesus.

If the disciples of Jesus do not take special care to study the Scriptures and remember the message of Jesus, they will merit a rebuke from the Master:
“You are such foolish, foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures!  Wasn’t it clearly predicted by the prophets that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his time of glory?” (CF Luke 24: 25).

Never forget the words and works of the Lord. Because the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. (Cf Revelation 19: 10).

5. 21 "While saying the joyful mysteries :
I received My human face from My Mother. When you contemplate My Face, it is her beauty that you are contemplating. I received My created beauty from My Mother. My uncreated beauty is the radiance of the glory of the Father on My humanity."  (IN SINU JESU).

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WHAT IS ABUNDANT LIFE?
I DON'T NEED MUCH MONEY TO LIVE WELL. I DON'T NEED MANY TOOLS & POSSESSIONS TO LIVE WELL. I DON'T NEED MUCH VARIETY OF FOOD TO LIVE WELL.
WHAT I NEED IN ABUNDANCE IS MUCH FAITH IN JESUS CHRIST. FAITH THAT BELIEVES THAT JESUS LIVES IN ME HERE AND NOW IN THE SACRAMENT OF THE PRESENT MOMENT. THIS IS ABUNDANT LIFE.

"Jesus said to his disciples: “Whoever loves me will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our dwelling with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; yet the word you hear is not mine but that of the Father who sent me.
“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you." (John 14: 23.... 29).

Sunday 22ND May 2022, 6th Week of the Easter Season.

Our Savior in the Farewell Discourse continues to reveal to His chosen friends the dynamics of the the Kingdom of God that He is entrusting to them. The Church is the seed of the Kingdom on earth.

The Holy Spirit, the Big Gift of the Father is the Spirit of truth. He will lead and guide the Church to all truth and preserve the integrity of the teachings of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit will be our Advocate and constant Helper. The one condition for receiving this free Gift is: "If you love me you will keep my commandments," says Jesus.
Pentecost Sunday is June 5th. Novena to prepare to receive this special Gift starts on May 26. I am excited.

5. 22.  The perpetual virginity of the Blessed Virgin Mary has been believed and honored by the Church from the beginning of the Apostolic Age to this day. Augustine describes it like this: Mary is virgin at birth. She remains virgin all her life. She is virgin forever.
The Church honors her in the Litany of Loretto with these words:

Virgin most prudent
Virgin most venerable
Virgin most renowned
Virgin most powerful
Virgin most merciful
Virgin most faithful

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THERE IS POWER IN THE NAME OF JESUS. HOW MANY TIMES A DAY DO YOU SAY: JESUS, JESUS, JESUS? JESUS I LOVE YOU. JESUS HELP ME. JESUS PROTECT ME!

"Jesus said to his disciples: “This is my commandment: love one another as I love you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I no longer call you slaves, because a slave does not know what his master is doing. I have called you friends, because I have told you everything I have heard from my Father. It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you. This I command you: love one another.” (John 15: 12 - 17).

Friday 20th May 2022, of the 5th Week of Easter is the feast of St Bernardine of Siena (1380 - 1444). Italian Franciscan Priest. St Bernardine had a great charism for preaching. During his relatively short life, he was able to evangelize all Italy. Below is a snippet from his biography.

"When other priests consulted him for advice, Bernardine gave them a simple rule: “In all your actions, seek in the first place the kingdom of God and his glory. Direct all you do purely to his honor. Persevere in brotherly charity, and practice first all that you desire to teach others.”

Bernardine came down to us in history for his special love for the holy name of Jesus.
Here is a great quote from St Bernardine on the name of Jesus:

“The name of Jesus, is in fact,
the great foundation of the faith
that turns people into children of God.
The Catholic Faith indeed,
consists in the news of Jesus Christ, as light of the soul, gate of life and foundation of eternal salvation.”

In our key Scripture for today, we reflect on the Call, the Choice and the Anointing we have from God our Father. When God wanted to start His family, He called Abraham. Through faith and obedience, Abraham became fruitful. Other examples of people in the Bible that God chose, called and anointed are:
Moses, Joseph the Prince of Egypt, David, John the Baptist and Paul the Apostle.  All of them responded to God with faith and obedience and became fruitful. 

The Call Today is loud and clear:
"It was not you who chose me, but I who chose you and appointed you to go and bear fruit that will remain, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name he may give you." (John 15: 16).

Today Jesus reminds us of His ringing Call: "To go and bear fruit that will remain." We know that the only fruits that remain and abide are fruits produced by the Holy Spirit.

The Lord Jesus is looking for a generous response:
"I will be a witness to You in the world O Lord.  I will spread the knowledge of Your name among my brothers, Alleluia! " (Psalm 18:50;  22 :23.)

5. 21.  "Let Mary never be far from your Lips and from your heart.
Following her, you will never lose your way.
Praying to her, you will never sink into despair.
Contemplating her, you will never go wrong." (St Bernardine of Siena),

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