"...and began to speak in tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim" (Acts 2, 4).
One of the questions from the study guide that really stuck with me last Wednesday is "What does it mean to be 'filled with the Holy Spirit?'". As simple as it sounds, it took me a while to really come up with an answer as I try to look in my personal life and figure out what this means to me. Am I filled with the Holy Spirit? Do other people see that in me? Do I speak and act boldly like the Apostles did once they were filled with the Spirit?
The Apostles entirely surrendered to the will of God and allowed Him to act through them.
We have all received the Holy Spirit through our baptism. If only we could let it run our lives...
Last week we were talking about confession and preparing for confession. We discussed the difficulties we have in going to confession and making a true and honest confession. Well, low and behold I was listening to NPR this afternoon and discovered that there is "an app for that." The app is intended to help Catholics prepare for confession and do a complete examination of conscience. Imagine that! It lets you put in your age, gender, marital status and vocation. Not to worry, it's password protected in case someone else has access : ) Go figure! It discloses that "this app cannot and does not take the place of confessing before a validly ordained Roman Catholic priest in a confessional or face to face", because confessions by electronic media are "invalid and ABSOLUTION BY THE PRIEST must be given in person because the seal of confession must be protected and for the sacrament to be valid there has to be both the matter and the form which means THE PRIEST..." So no more excuses guys... we can prepare on our iphones or ipads or itouches. Our faith has come to us in the form of Technology. The report said that priests are pleased with the focused and structured confessions they've been hearing. People come clutching their ipads and iphones. I laughed but really must take all of this into consideration. God will reach us even when we think we're too busy. On top of which, God speaks in our language and speaks how we listen... Did you hear him today? I've been trying yo listen but I must admit it's noisy in this head of mine. Peace
ReplyDeleteHow do you know when you have received the Holy Spirit? Is it something that we just say that we have or is it something that actually happens? How can we tell? How can we know for certain?
ReplyDeleteChrist told us that the eye is the lamp to the body and if the eye is sound then the body shall be full of light. Are you filled with the light of Christ? Can you see the light within? DO you know the spirit that will come to you? Seek and you shall find. Knock and it shall be opened. Ask and it shall be given you. Know for certain that you have the Holy Spirit within. newbiblestudyonline.blogspot.com