Showing all posts by Elija

In Biblical Meditations

The efficacy of the Holy Spirit  

Author ElijaPosted on

Jn 15:26-16:4

At that time, Jesus said to his disciples: When the Counselor comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, who proceeds from the Father, he will bear witness to me; and you also are witnesses, because you have been with me from the beginning. I have said all this to you to keep you from falling away.  They will put you out of the synagogues; indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God.  And they will do this because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you of them.

The Church teaches us that the Holy Spirit is sent by the Father and the Son. As today’s reading suggests, His task is to remind us of what Jesus said and did; that is, to bear witness to Him.

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In 3 Minutes for God the Father

“NEITHER EXUBERANCE NOR DESPAIR”

Author ElijaPosted on

“For sometimes pain is more beneficial to a person than health, tension more useful than relaxation, and rebuke more helpful than leniency. So let us not become overconfident in good times, nor despair and break down in misfortune.” — Gregory of Nazianzus

It is a lesson that is not always easy for us to learn, for our nature loves the simple and uncomplicated path to our goal, and the things mentioned do not seem to fit into that. Actually, that was not the original intention, but life outside of Paradise, with its consequences, has brought it about. The shadows of death accompany us everywhere; our Father has not removed them, but in His wisdom, He uses them to forge a deeper path for us to master our journey into eternity.

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In Biblical Meditations

The Spirit of Truth

Author ElijaPosted on

Today’s Gospel invites us to reflect once again on the Holy Spirit.

Jn 14:15–21

“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him; you know him, for he dwells with you, and will be in you. I will not leave you orphans[1]; I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world will see me no more, but you will see me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. He who has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me; and he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 

This other Advocate whom the Lord has sent is the Holy Spirit, who dwells within us, enlightens and strengthens us, leads us on the path of sanctification, and inspires the Church to proclaim the Gospel in the right way.

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In Biblical Meditations

The true leader of the Mission  

Author ElijaPosted on

Now that we have considered the calling of a true shepherd—and St. Peter and his successors in particular—on three separate occasions, this text on the Holy Spirit fits in very well!

Acts 16:1-10

From there he went to Derbe, and then on to Lystra, where there was a disciple called Timothy, whose mother was Jewish and had become a believer; but his father was a Greek. The brothers at Lystra and Iconium spoke well of him, and Paul, who wanted to have him as a travelling companion, had him circumcised. This was on account of the Jews in the locality where everyone knew his father was a Greek. As they visited one town after another, they passed on the decisions reached by the apostles and elders in Jerusalem, with instructions to observe them. So the churches grew strong in the faith, as well as growing daily in numbers. They travelled through Phrygia and the Galatian country, because they had been told by the Holy Spirit not to preach the word in Asia. When they reached the frontier of Mysia they tried to go into Bithynia, but as the Spirit of Jesus would not allow them, they went through Mysia and came down to Troas. One night Paul had a vision: a Macedonian appeared and kept urging him in these words, ‘Come across to Macedonia and help us.’ Once he had seen this vision we lost no time in arranging a passage to Macedonia, convinced that God had called us to bring them the good news. Read More

In 3 Minutes for God the Father

“I GIVE ONLY WHAT YOU HAVE GIVEN ME”

Author ElijaPosted on

“I have nothing to give but what You Yourself have given me.” (St. Catherine of Siena)

When we take these words of St. Catherine of Siena deeply to heart, we awaken to the joyful reality of our lives, for they lead us into loving humility. The Heavenly Father has given us everything and entrusted it to us. It is His vineyard to which we are called, and He gives us everything we need to be good workers. Everything that is pompous, self‑centered, vain, or proud seems like a masquerade that all too often parodies the very essence of our existence.

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In Reflexion

The ministry of Peter as a sign of unity

Author ElijaPosted on

Today we take one last look at the calling of Saint Peter, after having considered yesterday some of the qualities necessary for fulfilling such a high office. We have had outstanding popes in the succession of Saint Peter, but also some who scarcely possessed the inner qualities necessary for the fruitfulness of the office. Yet we Catholics can still say with joy that the “Rock” has withstood the storms over the centuries. After Peter had confessed that Jesus is the Messiah (Mt 16:16), the Lord spoke these well‑known words to him: Read More

In 3 Minutes for God the Father

“NOTHING IS MORE LOVELY THAN MARY!”

Author ElijaPosted on

“Nothing is small that God commands. … That is why I most earnestly recommend to you the veneration of the Mother of God. Nothing is more powerful, nothing more lovely, nothing stronger than she!” (St. Stanislaus Kostka)

The saint speaks from the depths of his own experience and holds out to all of us the great treasure that God has given: the Daughter of the Father, the Mother of the Son, and the Bride of the Holy Spirit.

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In 3 Minutes for God the Father

“THE HIERARCHY OF LIFE”

Author ElijaPosted on

“Anthony (the Desert Father) used to say that it is a person’s duty to devote all their time to the soul rather than to the body, while allowing the body only a brief moment for its needs. But all the rest, he should entrust all the more eagerly to the soul and seek its well-being, so that it might not be dragged down by the pleasures of the body, but rather, on the contrary, the body might be subject to the soul.” (Saint Athanasius)

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In Biblical Meditations

“The qualities of a true shepherd”

Author ElijaPosted on

Regarding the Petrine office, we emphasized yesterday that when Jesus called Peter to his ministry of shepherding the sheep, He asked him about his love and then entrusted him with the task of feeding them (John 21:15–19).

We further considered that the Pope’s ministry consists, in particular, in authentically transmitting Christ’s teaching through the centuries until the day of His return at the end of time, for the Church has understood Peter’s calling as an appointment to a universal pastoral office. In this context, it must be emphasized how important it is that the Church remain protected from heresies and reject them, so that their poison does not penetrate the Body of Christ.

In what follows, I would like to highlight a few points that are indispensable for a true shepherd of the Church.

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