Jesus said that God the Father's gift to Him was twelve men (Jn 17:24). That very night, one of these twelve would betray Him (Mt 26:20-25, 47-50). His hand-picked leader would deny that he knew Him (Lk 22:57-60). All the rest, except St. John, would abandon Him (Mk 14:50). What a "gift"!
Yet Jesus loves these apostles so deeply that He truly considers them a great gift. Jesus sees them not just for who they currently are, but for who they will become in Him and in the Holy Spirit. Thanks be to God that He loves us as we are, but yet He loves us too much to leave us as we are.
Let us then receive God's gifts, the gifts of the Holy Spirit, on this seventh day of the Pentecost Novena. The gifts of the Holy Spirit have great power to penetrate hard human hearts. At our Confirmation, the Spirit gave gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord (Is 11:2-3). Additionally, the Spirit's gifts include prophecy, healing, ministry, teaching, exhortation, generosity, leadership, and praying in tongues (see 1 Cor 12:7-10; Rm 12:6-8). Each gift of the Spirit has great power and is given for the common good.
Receive and exercise the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Become even more of a true gift to the Lord.
| PRAYER: | "And may the Son on us bestow the gifts that from the Spirit flow, the gifts that from the Spirit flow." |
| PROMISE: | "I set the Lord ever before me; with Him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed." –Ps 16:8 |
| PRAISE: | Sts. Marcellinus & Peter were memorialized in a poem by Pope St. Damasus I and remembered in Eucharistic Prayer I |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College