NOVENA TO THE HOLY SPIRIT - FIFTH DAY - GALATIANS 3:24-28, MATTHEW 17:1-9

22ND MAY 2012
 

THE MANIFESTATION OF THE HOLY SPIRIT
 

GALATIANS 3:24-28

My Beloved, how good the Father is - until the perfect time had come when He would send You into the world God gave His chosen people the law.  The law that would enable them to know the difference between what was sinful and what was pleasing in Your sight so that they would willingly choose what was right and good.  In this way He prepared us for Your coming.  He would then give us the perfect way through which we are redeemed, saved and sanctified.  Faith in You.  Faith in all You have accomplished for all men Jews as well as gentiles.  The law made it clear to us that we were all sinners and therefore slaves to sin.  Faith in You assures us that we now enjoy the freedom that comes from belonging to the Father as His sons and daughters in You.   


(Hebrews 11:1 Faith is the assurance of what we hope for, being certain of what we cannot see .....   St. Thomas Aquinas says, “Faith is a habit of the mind whereby eternal life is begun in us making the intellect assent to what is non-apparent.”)

MATTHEW 17:1-9

It is only by soaring with the Spirit in stillness and silence we can meet You Face to face.  Peter, James and John were privileged to see Your transcendent glory for a brief moment so that their faith in You could be strengthened for the difficult times that were to follow.  The Law, the Prophets and the New Covenant of Love stood at Mt. Tabor.  The old would give way to the New - the law and the prophets would now find their fulfillment in You and the Father confirmed and affirmed Your mission.  He said,  “This is my Son, the Beloved, my Chosen One. Listen to him.”  If only we would listen and obey my Beloved it would hasten Your second coming in glory but the world seems to be drifting further from You every moment and we are being drawn ever deeper into the mire sludge and slush of sin in every shade and kind of evil.  It is hard not to give in to despair when we turn our gaze on the world, but then we are not called to look at the world Beloved but to look at You.  All fear and distress will vanish if we combat it with faith in You.  You will touch us and say, “Stand up, do not be afraid.”  You alone are all we need my Beloved may we keep our focus trained on You alone.