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Tag: Spirit of God

  • GOD’S BREATH WITHIN US

    GOD’S BREATH WITHIN US

    February 10, 2021 – Wednesday  Fifth Week in Ordinary Time

    Memorial of St. Scholastica

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/021021.cfm)

    There are people who are fond of paying more attention to trivial things and minutest details. When artists show this to their work of art, the result would really be stunning. However, when a friend or a colleague does this to us, he or she can be irritating. When we also become a person who is obsessed of paying more attention to small things and minutest details, things and people can be stressful to us as we would always find mistakes and failures.

    This can also be true in the way we practice our faith and move to the tendency to give more emphasis on structures, physical elements and regulations. This is not surprising as others would always find themselves feel guilty when their prayers or devotional practices were not done properly. Thus, a person would already feel a terrible guilt because he/she fall asleep while praying the rosary. Another, would feel sinful because he/she was not able to go to a Sunday mass while being sick. Some may even judge others for not observing the proper ways of praying, in receiving communion and observing religious practices.

    While it is also important to pay attention to what is physical and to structures, there is also a need to find balance. Today, Jesus reminds us to be not so over conscious and obsessed of what is merely external. Jesus invites us rather to draw our attention deeper into our hearts and minds where our intentions and motivations are to be found.

    The Gospel of Mark was actually addressed to a community of Jews and non-Jews who became Christians. As these two groups of people lived together as a community, the Jews became imposing to non-Jewish Christians by controlling them to follow their ways, and I mean, external ways of doing things. To follow strictly the external practices became a controversy then. This was how Mark reminded them of the teaching of Jesus.

    Jesus reminds us that what comes out from within us, matters most. Jesus pointed this out on how our evil intentions and motivations can be kept hidden within our hearts.

    We might be too focused on trivial and external things in the practice our faith but then our attitude towards others is filled with insults and malice, envy and lust, or anger and hatred. Jesus wants us to examine our own motivations and intentions in the way we relate with others, in the way we perform our duties as parents, workers, leaders, professionals or as students. Jesus wants us to bring us closer to ourselves and that is to our hearts and minds so that we will also discover God within us.

    Let us remember that though evil intentions and motivations can be kept hidden within our hearts, however, our hearts are also capable of nurturing goodness and kindness. Our first reading from the Book of Genesis reminds us of this today. The second account of the creation tells us that as God created us, God blew into our nostrils the breath of life. That breath of life was God’s breath of the Spirit. What gives us life and what makes us alive is God’s Spirit within us.

    God is truly alive in each of us. Every time we breath in, may we remember how God breath his Spirit into us. Every time we breath out, we may also realize that we can give life to others through our sincere devotions and practice of the faith founded in God’s goodness and kindness. Hinaut pa.

  • Know the Spirit of God

    Know the Spirit of God

    January 4, 2021 – Monday, Weekday of Christmas Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/010421.cfm)

    How do we know the Spirit of God and the spirit of the evil one? How do we identify them? How do we discern them?

    The First Letter of John tells us the way to test the spirit working in us. John puts it simply. If the spirit working in us acknowledges Jesus Christ, then, the spirit belongs to God. However, if the spirit working in us denies or rejects Jesus Christ, then, it does not belong to God but to the antichrist, the evil one.

    Why is it very important? John warns us. He said, “Beloved, do not trust every spirit.” There are indeed spirits that deceive us. The evil one is a master of deceit and lies. When we are lonely and depressed, in need of help, the evil spirit may tempt to believe that it is much better to be alone and bury ourselves in fear and loneliness. This action leads us to hopelessness and death and does not acknowledge the comfort of friendship that Jesus offers us through the Church, our friends and family. This surely does not belong to God.

    When we have achieved so much, gained success and victories, gathered influence and wealth, the evil one may also tempt us to gather more and collect more. This may lead us further to insecurity and corruption. It does not acknowledge the generosity of Jesus.

    When we exercise power or authority over others whether at home, in our community or at our workplace, and we are not discerning enough of the spirit behind us, we might be tempted to also exercise control, dominance and manipulation. This will also certainly lead us to violence in our words and actions towards people around us. It does not also acknowledge the authority of Jesus and the power of his love for us.

    Hence, for us to remain in the Spirit of God, let us remember these and be always mindful of the spirit working in us, in our families and communities.

    • The Spirit of God gives us peace, confidence and serenity. The evil spirit makes us doubtful, fearful, anxious and having a low self-esteem.
    • The Spirit of God encourages us, lifts our spirit but the evil spirit makes us down and depressed. It discourages and upsets us.
    • The Spirit of God brings us comfort and joy, humor and laughter but the evil spirit makes us angry and irritable.
    • The Spirit of God makes us appreciate things and others, makes us grateful to God. But the evil spirit makes us unsatisfied, ungrateful, complaining, makes us see only the defects/negatives in everything and everyone including yourself.
    • The Spirit of God makes us feel loved, accepted and forgiven. But the evil one makes us feel bad, terrible, horrible, disgustful, unloved and accuses us of our wrongdoings making us guilty always (because the evil’s name is Accuser).

    By being able to discern the spirit working in us, may we always choose God’s spirit, the spirit of truth rather than the spirit of deceit that only bring us to sadness and death. Hinaut pa.

  • What influences my heart?

    What influences my heart?

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    October 14, 2020 – Wednesday of the 28th Week in Ordinary Time

    Click here for the readings (https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/101420.cfm)

    Homily

    What motivates me everyday? What are my desires and wants? What drives me to live? These questions would help us to understand better ourselves, our tendencies, as well as our thoughts and the meaning behind our decisions and actions. It is very important to become aware of the influences deep inside our heart. Awareness is a key to a balanced way of life as well as our key towards contentment and becoming happy with what life offers us.

    There is a famous story among the Cherokee Indians (this is just another story of the two wolves, there are also other versions with their twists). A grandfather told his  grandchildren a story of the black and white wolves. He said that inside us, there is a black and a white wolf always fighting. The black wolf is evil filled with anger, envy, greed, arrogance, hatred, and evil desires. On the other hand, the white wolf is good and filled with kindness, goodness, generosity, patience, love, faith, peace and gentleness. One of the grandchildren asked, “Which of the two wins, grandpa?” “It is the wolf that you feed,” the grandfather replied.

    Certainly, our heart will be overwhelmed with anger and hatred, with greed and arrogance when we are also feeding the black wolf in us. In letting the black wolf win over the white wolf, we make ourselves slaves to our selfish tendencies. We make ourselves insecure and indifferent towards those who are around us. Thus, cultivating violence and anger in our heart will make us more violent and angry. Lingering on hatred and pain will also make us more desperate, hateful and sad. Fostering and doing unjust practices, corruption, dishonesty and unfaithfulness will just make us more corrupt, more hungry for power and control.

    Look at those people fighting over a position just to secure their political dream and to assure an influential seat in order to gain control and dominance. As Christians, we can question their integrity in serving the common good particularly in the middle of a crisis. It seems that what is more important is position, influence, power and dominance, control and prestige.

    Jesus pointed this out also among the influential people in the biblical times. The Gospel reminds us how Jesus confronted the pharisees and scholars of the law of their arrogance and self-righteous attitudes. These were the very people who secured influential status in their community but remained indifferent to the suffering of the public, and vicious and greedy. They were more concerned of their comforts and benefits rather that the good things they can give to the people through their status in the community.

    This is something that Paul reminded us in his letter to the Galatians. Paul told us to be always conscious and be guided by the Spirit of God and not to become slaves of our selfish tendencies that will bring us only to further insecurity and desperation. Paul said, “if we live in the Spirit, let us also follow the Spirit.”

    While looking at the bigger picture of our community, let us also look at ourselves and examine the kind of wolf we are under influenced. The Lord does not want us to feed our insecurities and self-serving tendencies, that is, the black wolf in us. What the Lord wants is for us to recognize the Spirit of God dwelling in us, to nurture the spirit by living truly and following the Spirit of God.

    Thus, today, Jesus calls us to feed the white wolf in us by allowing the Spirit of God to influence us, to overwhelm us and inspire our thoughts, decisions and actions. For us to follow the Spirit of God, there are two invitations that I want you to remember.

    First. Think and remember the needs of others. We may have our own concerns in life, but there is no harm to become more aware and understanding of what others are also going through. By being able to see and understand others, we become more connected with them. This allows us to think less of our needs and not to linger more of our desires. We become less self-centered and begin to see the world through the eyes of those are most in need than us.

    Second.  Pray. Pray for courage and the faith to respond to what you see. Do not just simply pray for our personal wants and desires, pray that we may become a life-giving person. It is by praying that we find strength and confidence in God that despite our own struggles, we become certain of His presence. We do not have to make extraordinary projects to help others and express our kindness and generosity. Extend help whenever we are called to. Express our generosity whenever somebody asks for help.

    May these simple invitations guide us to truly live and follow the Spirit of God dwelling in us. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR

  • Have you been Born Again?

    Have you been Born Again?

    April 20, 2020 – Monday of the Second Week of Easter

    Click ere for the readings (http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/042020.cfm)

    “Have you been born again?,” a Born Again Pastor asked me. Like Nicodemus, I was also stunned by the question. Then, he continued asking me, “Do you accept Jesus as your personal savior?” I said, “Yes.” And then, he told me, “You are now Born Again.” Immediately, he took out his notebook and pen and asked me to write my name on it and the date of the day and date of my birth. And so I did. 

    And I saw in his notebook other names of people with their details. He explained to me that those were the list of people he baptized just like me, a baptized Born Again by him.

    That encounter with a Born Again Pastor, reminds me of the very Gospel we have today. Jesus with his encounter with Nicodemus, a Pharisee said, “Unless one is born from above, he cannot see the Kingdom of God.” Yet, Nicodemus also responded, “How can a man once grown old be born again? He cannot reenter his mother’s womb and be born again, can he?”

    Nicodemus was referring for a physical rebirth of a person. However, Jesus speaks of a spiritual rebirth of a person. Consequently, Jesus invites Nicodemus to be born of the Spirit.

    To be truly born of the Spirit is not just a mere ritual but rather a way of life. In today’s language, we call it, “Lifestyle.”

    Each of us who had been baptized with water and the Spirit, is already “born again.” This is what Jesus speaks to us today. During the Easter Vigil and Mass on Easter Sunday, we were asked to light our candle and renew our baptismal promises. That rite was an invitation for us to be reminded of what we have received in our baptism when we were children, for those who were baptized as babies, and those who were baptized as adults too. Moreover, that rite also points to who we are, our very being, and that is, that we are all Children of God.

    Indeed, through our baptism we were born again and called to live our life filled with the Spirit of God. However, as we have lived our life and carry out our identity as Children of God, we might have not felt the Spirit within us perhaps because we have become “lukewarm” and indifferent, have taken things for granted, have become selfish by advancing our personal desires and wants, or have succumbed to what is only beneficial, easy and comfortable for us at the expense of others. These attitudes are signs that we are not allowing God to fill our hearts with the Spirit.

    To be truly born of the Spirit is not just a mere ritual but rather a way of life. In today’s language, we call it, “Lifestyle.” Thus, it means that it is not just a one-time event but an everyday commitment to live a life filled with the Holy Spirit.

    This is now the invitation for us today. Jesus calls us to re-examine our life on how we have lived our Christian life and carry out our commitment to God. We are called to identify the obstacles that prevent the flow of the Spirit in our life. We may want to start by recognizing the hurts, the pains, the traumas, even fears and doubts, our preconceptions, biases, attitudes and sins that hold us back from allowing the Spirit to inspire us, to mold us and to renew us.

    Hopefully, this may lead us to step forward by consciously making a faith-commitment to the Risen Jesus, who breathes into us the Holy Spirit. May it inspire us to develop a lifestyle that consciously prays, discerns the invitations of God and shows true concern to our brothers and sister.

    May this lifestyle be more active and inspiring especially in these difficult times brought by the pandemic Corona Virus. As we allow the Spirit to fill our hearts in this Easter Season, let us also fill with our kindness and generosity those who are most in need and vulnerable in this time of great crisis. With this, we are truly born again with Spirit. Hinaut pa.

    Jom Baring, CSsR