6TH FRIDAY HOMILY OF EASTERTIDE — YEAR A
6TH FRIDAY HOMILY OF EASTERTIDE — YEAR A
HOMILY THEME: “I shall see you again, and your hearts will be full of joy…”
BY: Bishop Anthony Ewherido
Acts 18:9-18; Psalm 46(47):2-7; John 16:20-23
It is time to carry out one of the main instructions of the Lord Jesus to us at Ascension; he instructed his disciples to go and wait for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in prayer and fasting. That should be our preoccupation in the next nine days in preparation for Pentecost.
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Even though the Holy Spirit is not specifically mentioned in today’s gospel, Pentecost is in view, because in the coming of the Holy Spirit, the disciples received a divine visitation that made Jesus present to them anew. In a real sense then, Jesus returned to his disciples and to his Church in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is thus the source of the joy promised in today’s gospel. Through the Holy Spirit, God fills our hearts with joy; joy that no one can steal from us, just like the peace promised us by Jesus. That alone makes a preparation for Pentecost necessary as we live in a very troubled, dark and evil times, devoid of real joy and true peace. That is the kind of joy that we feel in our hearts when amidst our troubles and sufferings, God reassures us of his presence with us and encourages us to be strong as he did with Paul in today’s first reading. God did not only assure Paul that He was with him, God also let him know that He would send human agents to assist Paul. God even used the pagan Roman official, Gallio, to save Paul from his adversaries. In the same way, God puts people in our lives as instruments for accomplishing his purposes in our lives. As often as God calls upon us to be such agents, we must obey as willing and generous messengers. In the meantime, let us work on cultivating a real relationship with the Holy Spirit, as we prayerfully prepare for Pentecost.
Lord, be with us in our time of trouble and keep us under the watchful care of our guardian Angels. Amen.
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