DAILY HOMILIES #holy spirit

We fall too easily into the lie trap because we do not realize the seriousness of the existence of lies in our lives. No wonder the popular saying goes: “Say the truth and shame the devil.” Telling lies glorifies the devil. Spreading falsehood deliberately just to incite others or achieve mundane objectives is plainly assisting the devil in his work as a destroyer. Jesus tells us: “He (the Holy Spirit) will glorify Me, for he will take what is mine and declare it you.” (John 16:14). Anyone who lies lacks the Spirit of Truth – the Holy Spirit.

Right there in prison, rather than fall into despair, they burst into singing. They prayed, they sang and the Holy Spirit came down. God who did not prevent them from being beaten and thrown in prison became moved when he heard them pray and sing. He not only freed them from prison, but he also brought about the conversion of the chief jailer.

Jesus himself said, witnessing for him comes with its own downsides. There are definitely roadblocks along the way. It is not funny! There are certainly people who will be ready to kill you all because you are talking about Jesus. Jesus said: “even people who kill you will think they are doing a service to God.” That is to say, our greatest persecution will not come from atheists but from people who claim to believe in God; fellow Christians.

When we fast, we involve our whole body in prayer. Fasting helps us to silence the noises around us and feel the real hunger of our souls which is the hunger for God. When we fast, we face our fears, we realize we can survive without certain things, and we become aware of the inner power that we possess over food, luxury, or that which we had depended on for so long.

“If you then, who are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!” (Luke 11:13).

Inflamed by the Holy Spirit, Jesus visited Simon’s house where he healed Simon’s mother in law and that same night, the whole community brought to Jesus their sick and possessed relatives. Jesus healed them all

Let us open our hearts today for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit. As we remember that day that the church was born; that day that all timidity and fear was wiped out of the believers; that day that the church received fire and utterance to spread the message across the world; we sincerely pray that God may find us worthy again to receive that fire and begin a new era of Christianity. Amen

Indeed, it is impossible to have the Holy Spirit in you (the Spirit of Truth) and still remain adamant in telling of lies. Once you tell a lie, the Holy Spirit speaking through your conscience will not let you rest. That is if you still have the Holy Spirit in you.

In our first reading, Paul and Silas found themselves in prison for doing the work of God. Rather than fall into despair, they burst into singing and praying. At midnight, there was a great manifestation of the Holy Spirit. All the prison doors were opened and the chains of all the prisoners there were unfastened.

If we must witness at all for Christ, then we need the Holy Spirit; He is the Principal Agent of Evangelization. As Paul and his companions traveled, they were successful not because of their eloquence or knowledge, but as a result of the Holy Spirit working in the hearts of their listeners.