Tuesday 7th Week of Easter

 DAY SIX :  The Gift of Knowledge 

"No one knows the Son, except the Father and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal Him." Mt. 11:27

Meditation:

There are things that we learn from books and experience.   God however transcends the human mind, therefore we need the Holy Spirit to Gift us with Knowledge  so that we can know things as God knows them. Through the Gift of Knowledge, St. Francis of Assisi came to know all of Creation as his Brother and Sister. Through the Gift of Knowledge one is able to look beyond the superficial to the depths of creation, its origins, meaning and purpose. 

Reflection:

How much do I know about God?

How do I know Creation as Adam and Eve did? 

How do I know Creation As Francis of Assisi did?

V. Come, O Spirit of Knowledge, be the Master of our souls and help us to put into practice Your teachings.

Monday 7th week of Easter

 DAY FIVE :  The Gift of Piety

Antiphon :

"O most blessed Light

Fill the inmost heart

Of Your Faithful."

"Unless you become like little children, you will not enter the Kingdom of Heaven." Mt. 18:3

Meditation: 

The Gift of Piety instills in the soul a childlike love and trust for God.  God is not just an all powerful being, but to the pious, God is a caring and loving Father and we are His children. The Gift of Piety gives one a complete trust and confidence in God. No one better exemplifies the Gift of Piety than St Therese of Lisieux and her Little Way of spiritual childhood, where "God reveals Himself to the childlike."Mt. 11:25

Reflection:

Do I truly see God as a loving Father?

Do I have a childlike trust in God?

How am I childlike in my relationship with God?

V. Come, O Spirit of Piety, come to live in our heart to possess and sanctify all of our affections.

The Ascension

Why didn’t Jesus stay?

Why did He ascend into Heaven when He could have stayed and kept preaching and healing?

Jesus Ascended  because His Kingdom is not of this world. 

Jesus Ascended because He was going to prepare a place for us. 

Jesus Ascended because He was going home to His Father. 

The Son of God did not become flesh and dwell among us 

to stay here, 

but to show us the way home to the Kingdom of Heaven. 

The Ascension of Jesus is a reminder that we are Pilgrims in this world. 

Our true home is in Heaven. 

This is why Jesus kept preaching about the Kingdom of Heaven. 

Because This world is passing away. 

Time flies;

Seasons come and go;

Youth is fleeting;

And death is inevitable. 

Everything we do therefore in this world should help us along the journey to the next. 

But does it?

What is holding us back in life?

And what is holding us down?

In The Ascension, Jesus asks us,

 if we want to fly. 

Saturday 6th week of Easter

 The Gift of Fortitude 

I can do all things in Him who strengthens me." Phil. 4:13

Meditation:

In the spiritual life there are many difficulties and temptations great and small.  There are everyday difficulties that tempt us to think only of ourselves, to be harsh, to lose our temper or to hold onto a hurt.  The Gift of Fortitude strengthens us at these times to remain charitable, kind, patient and forgiving.  With the Gift of Fortitude we are never overcome, we are never defeated, but can do all things in Christ who Strengthens us by His Spirit. 

Reflection: 

What are the daily difficulties where I need strength?

What are my weaknesses?

Which Saint best exemplifies the gift of Fortitude for me?

V. Come, O Spirit of Fortitude , and give us strength, constancy and victory in the battle against our spiritual enemies.

Friday 6th week of Easter

 

The Fear of the Lord

The Fear of The Lord is the first stage of Wisdom." Ps. 111:10

Meditation:

Fear of The Lord is not a fear of condemnation or damnation, but a "filial" fear. It is the fear of a son or daughter who out of love and devotion "fear" ever offending their mother or father. The Holy Spirit has made us adopted children of God Rm. 8:14-16. As adopted children of God by the Holy Spirit, we are granted the gift of "filial fear" of never wanting to offend or disappoint our Heavenly Father. 

Reflection:

What kind of son or daughter of God are we?

How "fearful" are we of offending our Heavenly Father. 

How does Fear of The Lord help us to grow in Wisdom?

V. Come, O Spirit of the Fear of the Lord,

reign over our will and make us always disposed to suffer every evil rather than to sin.

Thursday 6th week of Easter

 Temple of the Holy Spirit

"Do you not know that you are a Temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?" 1 Cor. 3:16

Meditation

God  desires to not only live "with us" in the flesh, but to "dwell within us in the Spirit."  Humanity is made up of flesh and spirit. Jesus, the Son of God took on our flesh and thus made our flesh holy and immortal. Through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, our spirits and our souls become holy and immortal. 

Reflection

How do we open our hearts and souls to the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

What closes our hearts and souls from the indwelling of the Holy Spirit?

How do we make our bodies a proper dwelling place for the Holy Spirit?

What keeps our bodies from being a proper dwelling place for the Holy Spirit. 

V. Send forth Your Spirit, and we shall be created 

R. And You shall renew the face of the earth. 

Wednesday 6th week of Easter

The Gift

"In this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit. 1 Jn. 3:34. 

In almost all references to the Holy Spirit in Scripture, the Holy Spirit is spoken of as a "gift from God and a gift of God."  

     As a gift,  the Holy Spirit is something that is given completely and thus becomes the possession of the recipient. 

     The Holy Spirit was not only "given" to Mary but she became the "possessor" of the gift to use as she willed.  But a soul can only receive the fullness of the Gift of the Holy Spirit when a soul has fully gifted itself in return to the Spirit of God.  

     The degree to which we "give" ourselves to the Holy Spirit is the degree to which the Holy Spirit "gives" Himself to a soul. 

Reflection:

How much do we give of ourselves to the Holy Spirit?

What do we hold back?

How receptive are we of the Holy Spirit?

V. Send forth Your Spirit and we shall be created. 

R. And You shall renew the face of the earth.