Reflection
Acts 15:7-21
Psalm 96
John 15:9-11
The Trinity was not such a clear subject for the disciples who were hearing the words of Jesus in today’s gospel. Father, Son and Holy Spirit – a reality that the Church struggled with to understand and to explain. Jesus gives us the key to understanding – follow His teachings. Jesus is reinforcing that He did not come to discard the teachings of the Law, but rather show us the way to truly live them.
Being open to the Holy Spirit is the key to living the way Jesus teaches. Now being open to the Holy Spirit requires three very important things – spending time in Adoration, listening, and humility.
Adoration removes the distractions from our lives, and we have a ton of them – starting with that thing that seems to be an appendix at the end of most of our hands, the phone. Listening requires silence – Adoration is a perfect place for that. Humility is absolutely necessary because guess what…you might just be wrong about the way you think about things.
A great way to live the way Jesus teaches is to know what made the Saints who they were, and are. Find a Saint with whom you can relate and read their works. We have a bunch of information in the Fr. Ernie Norbeck parish library and it is all free! Have you read St. Theresa of Avila, St. Augustine, Bishop Sheen, Dorothy Day, St. Padre Pio, St. Ignatius of Antioch…? Have at it!
Go smile at God! He sure is smiling at you!