Monday 22 May
Monday of the 7th week of Eastertide Saint Rita of Cascia First reading - Acts 19:1-8 We see in this reading the effect of the coming of the Holy Spirit. “When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the moment Paul had laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on them, and they began to speak with tongues and to prophesy”. When the Holy Spirit came, they began to speak with tongues and to prophesy. In other words, they became instruments of God. They were no more for themselves. They became instruments for the kingdom of God. Immediately we read what Paul is doing. “He began by going to the synagogue, where he spoke out boldly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God”. Speaking boldly and arguing persuasively about the kingdom of God. It’s passion for the kingdom of God. When we don’t feel that passion, it means that somewhere we lost to be the instruments of the Holy Spirit. Try to regain it back. Be an instrument of the kingdom of God. Let’s reflect: Do I feel the passion of being an instrument of the kingdom of God?
Sunday 21 May
7th Sunday of Easter First reading - Acts 1:12-14 “All these joined in continuous prayer, together with several women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers”. These are days of prayer for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Apostles, disciples joined the Mother Mary in continuous prayer. This is the model of the Church which awaits the Holy Spirit. Being united together and being in continuous prayer. For the Holy Spirit to come we must have unity among ourselves and then we must engage in continuous prayer. The continuous prayer calls for continuous unity. It’s not like coming together and then praying together and going away. Holy Spirit is welcomed into the unity celebrated in continuous prayer. These days, we are also praying for the Holy Spirit. Let’s make sure that we are in unity with my community members, and we are in continuous prayer. Let’s reflect: am I praying for the Holy Spirit in unity and continuously?
Saturday 20 May
Saturday of the 6th week of Eastertide Saint Bernardine of Siena, Priest First reading - Acts 18:23-28 “When he arrived there he was able by God’s grace to help the believers considerably by the energetic way he refuted the Jews in public and demonstrated from the scriptures that Jesus was the Christ”. In this passage of the Acts of the Apostles, we see Apollos who is very talented. We read, “He was an eloquent man, with a sound knowledge of the scriptures, and yet, though he had been given instruction in the Way of the Lord and preached with great spiritual earnestness and was accurate in all the details he taught about Jesus, he had only experienced the baptism of John”. He was very talented and very knowledgeable but only experienced the baptism of John. Priscilla and Aquila trained him and gave him further instruction about the Church. He was humble enough to accept that. Moreover we read that he was able to help the believers by God’s grace. So Apollos, so talented, needed the training from Priscilla and Aquila along with the grace of God, to help the believers. The humility to accept the training from others and the openness to the grace of God are necessary to become real instruments of God to demonstrate that Jesus was the Christ. Both this come from the Holy Spirit. Let’s reflect: Do I have the humility to accept the training from others and the openness to God’s grace?
Friday 19 May
Friday of the 6th week of Eastertide First reading - Acts 18:9-18 “Do not be afraid to speak out, nor allow yourself to be silenced: I am with you. I have so many people on my side in this city that no one will even attempt to hurt you”. This is the Lord speaking to Paul in a vision to encourage him to preach the word of God. The Lord is asking two things, do not be afraid to speak out and do not allow yourself to be silenced. Be courageous to speak the word of God and don’t let anything to silence you. Feel the inspiration from inside to preach and don’t let anything stop that inspiration. We need both in our spiritual life and in our missionary life. A push from inside and then not to feel any pressure against that push. Be inspired and nothing should stop us. For both of this, Lord is with us through the Holy Spirit whom we are awaiting in these days. And also there is a reason why the Lord wants to be me with Paul or with us. The Lord says, “I have so many people on my side in this city”. The Lord is with me for His people. We feel the power, we feel the inspiration, we have the talents, all for one reason. The Lord wants to be with me for His people. Let’s reflect: Lord is with us to give us courage to preach because He loves His people.