There
is a story of a wealthy man who had a double tragedy.
His wife died in childbirth and the boy that she
gave birth to was mentally handicapped. He hired
a nurse to take care of the child. The nurse raised
the child like her own son. The boy, however, died
in his early teens. Heartbroken, the rich man died
soon after. The man’s will could not be found
and so the state decided to put the man’s estate
and belongings up for sale. The old nurse had very
little money and there was one thing she wanted more
than any other – a framed photo of the boy
she had nursed and loved. No one else wanted the
picture, so she got it for just one dollar. She took
the picture home and began to clean it up. As she
did so, a piece of paper fell out from the wooden
frame. It was the rich man’s will. It stated
that all his wealth and estate would go to anyone
who loved his son enough to buy his picture. The
sales were halted and everything was returned to
the nurse, whose dedication to the boy was happily
rewarded.
In I John 5:1-9 John begins by reminding us of
the mystery that took place when we believed. By
believing in Christ we became children of God.
By baptism into Christ we became sons and daughter
of a large family, the family of God. From that
moment on, God became our father in a special way,
and all other children of God became our brothers
and sisters. Each time we say that special prayer
of God’s children, the Our Father, we are
in effect saying that God’s children everywhere
are our brothers and sisters. Just as it is hypocritical
to say we love a parent without loving his or her
child, so it is hypocritical to profess love of
God without equally professing love for all of
God’s children.
Actually, God our Father, who sent his Son into
the world to save us, has poured forth his Spirit
to enlighten and guide us on the path that leads
to him….The love that the Holy Spirit infuses
into our hearts—the love for which we have
been created and in which we find happiness—fosters
an authentic way of loving. It leads not to a superficial,
passing sentiment, but to a generous self-giving
shown in deeds. This is the core of Christian life,
as John Paul II frequently reminds us, citing a
well-known text from Vatican II: “Man, who
is the only creature on earth which God willed
for itself, cannot fully find himself except through
a sincere gift of himself.”
God gave himself for us and wants us to give ourselves
to him. He addresses to each of us the words that
St. Paul wrote to the Corinthians: “For I
seek not what is yours but you.” Or as St.
Josemaría Escriva puts it: “Jesus
is never satisfied with ‘sharing.’ He
wants all.” This ideal may be unsettling
at first. But if we keep in mind that the same
God who asks our self-giving makes it possible
with his gifts, with the gift of Himself, we will
realize that converting our life into a pleasing
offering to God is truly within our reach.
The grace granted to us with the outpouring of
the Holy Spirit enables us to love God without
restriction, with a love that is a sharing in the
love of God the Father, who has loved us to the
point of sending his Son into the world to become
man and shed his blood for us.
When a person, moved by the Holy Spirit, makes
his entire life a response to the demands of love,
the things God may ask of him are no longer seen
as renunciations and sacrifices, but as opportunities
to find God and unite himself more closely to him.
Christian maturity is attained precisely through
the victory of love, which overcomes fear and selfishness….
But in the spiritual life, as in everything, victory
is not attained without a struggle, and this struggle
will last one’s entire life. We are attached
to ourselves and short-sighted, and often let ourselves
be blinded by a momentary pleasure or the affirmation
of our ego, instead of opening our heart to the
greatness of God’s loving plans. On this
journey of our spiritual growth, the Holy Spirit
is always urging us forward. The only thing necessary
is to be docile to his inspirations.
About Truth: What would you give to know all truth?
Truth, however, is not something we create nor
is it our discovery. It is the gift of God who
is the possessor and the giver of all truth. Jesus
tells his disciples that it is the role of the
Holy Spirit to reveal what is true. How can this
be? Skeptics of truth don't want to believe in
an absolute Truth. If truth is objective then it
must be submitted to as authoritative. Some fear
the truth because they think it will inhibit their
freedom. Jesus told his disciples that the
truth will set you free (John 8:32).The truth
liberates us from doubts, illusions, and fears.
Since God is the source of all truth, then the
closer we draw to him and listen to his word, the
more we grow in the knowledge of him and of his
great love and wisdom for us. Jesus told his disciples
that he would send them the Spirit of truth who
will announce to you the things to come. Through
the Holy Spirit, we proclaim our ancient faith
in the saving death and resurrection of Christ
until he comes again.
The Lord gives us his Holy Spirit as our divine
Teacher and Helper that we may grow in the knowledge
and wisdom of God. It was St. Augustine who noted
that the Holy Spirit is necessary to give us the
ability to keep the commandments within the realm
of God’s grace. “Without having that
Spirit, they certainly could not love him and keep
his commandments.”(1) This shows that the
Holy Spirit is not only of Truth, but is also the
sanctifier who enables believers to put to death
the deeds of the flesh, as Paul writes (Rom. 8:14).
This Holy Spirit enables believers to meet the
just requirements of the law (Rom. 8:4). Jesus
earlier identified himself as the Way, the Truth,
and the Life (John 14:6). Jesus then identifies
the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of Truth, thus putting
the Holy Spirit in the same category as himself.
He further does this when he calls him another
Paraclete (v. 16). As St. John Chrysostom notes,
the term that he uses for another means “Another
like unto me.”(2) This identifies the Holy
Spirit as a person, who is like Jesus. As Jesus
taught his disciples, so will the Holy Spirit.
The disciples will soon be greatly saddened by
Jesus’ death. Jesus had wisdom that the disciples
could never hear. Jesus is promising that once
he dies, another person will teach them that wisdom.
Jesus promises to come to his people again, although
he will come by sending another comforter, the
Paraclete. That person is the Holy Spirit. He brings
Christ’s work to fruition by sustaining the
Truth in Love.
