The WORD in Other Words by Fr Glenn Paul Gomez SVD (Philippines)
Monday 6th Week of Easter
Acts 16:11-15, Jn 15:26-16:4a
Let me start my sharing with the lyrics of the song, Come Holy Spirit:
“Come Holy Spirit I need you. Come Holy Spirit I pray. Come with Your strength and Your power. Come in Your own special way.”
The Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, the Holy Spirit, has many titles. One of them is Advocate. In a military court, there is a Judge Advocate who advises a court martial on a point of law and sums up the case. His/her role is to defend the accused.
The Advocate, as written in today‘s Gospel, is the Spirit of Truth who will testify to Jesus and to all of us. The role of Holy Spirit is very clear: He will protect and defend us!
After receiving the Sacrament of Baptism, all baptized Catholics receive the Sacrament of Confirmation. This Confirmation, in the power of the Holy Spirit, leads to a firm profession of faith. It complements and completes the Sacrament of Baptism.
Pope Francis, in one of his homilies, says that the Holy Spirit is the Giver of Life:
“The Holy Spirit is the Inexhaustible Source of God‘s life in us.” “People of every time and place desire a full and beautiful life…. To attain this full and beautiful life, we need the Holy Spirit.”
Pope Francis
I personally feel and experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in my priestly, religious, missionary life. The Holy Spirit is my Advocate, Counselor, Helper, Paraclete, Comforter, Giver of Life….name it. With the Holy Spirit, I‘m living a full and beautiful life!
To end, silently, we sing:
“Come Holy Spirit I need you. Come Holy Spirit I pray. Come with Your strength and Your power. Come in Your own special way. Amen.”
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