I shall ask the Father,
and he will give you another Advocate
to be with you forever. JN 14:16
ACTS 17:15,22-18:1
My Soul's Beloved,
People will either scoff at the Truth or embrace it. If we deny the Truth, it is because of the sin that has taken root in us. There are certain sins we are unwilling to give up, our secret sins and those that are not so secret. The sins that provide temporary relief and comfort but entrench us ever deeper in sadness, fear, anxiety, discouragement, and even despair. The more we indulge our weaknesses and our addictions, the more rooted we become in them and the more difficult and painful it becomes to rid ourselves of them.
The people who gathered to hear Paul preach were of two kinds - one whose hearts were already hardened and were prepared to laugh off what they did not understand, and others who were prepared to listen and to try and understand. As long as we are open to the Truth that is the same yesterday, today, and eternally, we will encounter You, but if we prefer the lies with which we feed ourselves and convince ourselves are true, we will die in our sins.
Those who worship the world, the flesh, and the devil are consumed with enjoying this present life; they have no regard for the life to come, and they do so to their eternal destruction.
“We are all his children.”
‘Since we are the children of God, we have no excuse for thinking that the deity looks like anything in gold, silver or stone that has been carved and designed by a man.
‘God overlooked that sort of thing when men were ignorant, but now he is telling everyone everywhere that they must repent, because he has fixed a day when the whole world will be judged, and judged in righteousness, and he has appointed a man to be the judge. And God has publicly proved this by raising this man from the dead.’
At this mention of rising from the dead, some of them burst out laughing; others said, ‘We would like to hear you talk about this again.’ After that Paul left them, but there were some who attached themselves to him and became believers, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman called Damaris, and others besides.
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
PSALM 148:1-2,11-14
Your glory fills all heaven and earth.
Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his host.
All earth’s kings and peoples,
earth’s princes and rulers,
young men and maidens,
old men together with children.
Let them praise the name of the Lord
for he alone is exalted.
The splendour of his name
reaches beyond heaven and earth.
He exalts the strength of his people.
He is the praise of all his saints,
of the sons of Israel,
of the people to whom he comes close.
“We are all his children.”
‘Since we are the children of God, we have no excuse for thinking that the deity looks like anything in gold, silver or stone that has been carved and designed by a man.
‘God overlooked that sort of thing when men were ignorant, but now he is telling everyone everywhere that they must repent, because he has fixed a day when the whole world will be judged, and judged in righteousness, and he has appointed a man to be the judge. And God has publicly proved this by raising this man from the dead.’
At this mention of rising from the dead, some of them burst out laughing; others said, ‘We would like to hear you talk about this again.’ After that Paul left them, but there were some who attached themselves to him and became believers, among them Dionysius the Areopagite and a woman called Damaris, and others besides.
After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth.
PSALM 148:1-2,11-14
Your glory fills all heaven and earth.
Praise the Lord from the heavens,
praise him in the heights.
Praise him, all his angels,
praise him, all his host.
All earth’s kings and peoples,
earth’s princes and rulers,
young men and maidens,
old men together with children.
Let them praise the name of the Lord
for he alone is exalted.
The splendour of his name
reaches beyond heaven and earth.
He exalts the strength of his people.
He is the praise of all his saints,
of the sons of Israel,
of the people to whom he comes close.
Your glory fills all heaven and earth.
JOHN 16:12-15
JOHN 16:12-15
My Soul's Beloved,
You are the Truth. In You the fullness of Truth dwells. All that You are is Truth and Light and Goodness and Beauty. You are all that anyone ever needs. You are all that the world needs. With You we possess all things; but without You we are nothing.
The Spirit of God, the Holy Spirit, is the Spirit of Truth, Life, Love, Goodness, and Beauty. The Father sent You to make Him and His love tangible to us. You sent the Holy Spirit so He could make His home in us and lead us into the whole Truth. He brings to mind all that You taught the Apostles in the Living Memory and Tradition of the Church. Through the Magisterium, the Truth lives and speaks through the Successor Peter without error, and thus the Eternal Truth lives on, and the gates of hell are powerless against the Truth.
Thank You, Lord Jesus, for abiding in us through Your Holy Spirit. Help us, O Lord God of Truth, Love, and Life, to do nothing to sadden Him but give Him complete dominion of our lives so He can direct us, guide us, and help us grow in Your image and likeness for the greater glory of God.
Jesus said to his disciples:
‘I still have many things to say to you
but they would be too much for you now.
But when the Spirit of truth comes
he will lead you to the complete truth,
since he will not be speaking as from himself
but will say only what he has learnt;
and he will tell you of the things to come.
He will glorify me,
since all he tells you
will be taken from what is mine.
Everything the Father has is mine;
that is why I said:
All he tells you
will be taken from what is mine.’
but they would be too much for you now.
But when the Spirit of truth comes
he will lead you to the complete truth,
since he will not be speaking as from himself
but will say only what he has learnt;
and he will tell you of the things to come.
He will glorify me,
since all he tells you
will be taken from what is mine.
Everything the Father has is mine;
that is why I said:
All he tells you
will be taken from what is mine.’
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