#HolySpirit

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Spirit of Forgiveness

Father David M. Knight

May 20, 2018

Spirit of Forgiveness

Pentecost Sunday 8th Sunday of Easter, May 20 , 2018 "He breathed on them and said, 'Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them...'” The early Christians probably understood these words to refer only to receiving people into the Church by Baptism, because when some "left" the Church by apostasy and returned, many assumed the only way to restore them to grace was by baptizing them again. This was condemned by the Church as false, but led to eventual reco

"And be the aroma of Christ in the world"

Father David M. Knight

May 18, 2018

"And be the aroma of Christ in the world"

Friday, 7th week of Easter, May 18, 2018 To be Christian actually means to "be Christ" (Catechism of the Catholic Church 795). We are the divine- human body of Jesus, living by his divine life. If that is what we are, it should be evident. Scripture says we should be "the aroma of Christ in the world," through whom God "spreads in every place the fragrance that comes from knowing him" (2Corinthians 2:14). For this we ask the Holy Spirit to "Come! Grant us his Gifts and transf

Pleasing to God, and Perfect

Father David M. Knight

May 17, 2018

Pleasing to God, and Perfect

Thursday, 7th week of Easter, May 17, 2018 "So that we might discern what is good, and pleasing to God, and perfect" Just to aim at "doing good and avoiding evil" is a sub-Christian life. Those who only try to avoid "sin" by keeping the Ten Commandments have not accepted the New Law of Jesus, which is summarized, but not complete, in the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew, chapters 5 to 6). In our prayer we ask the Holy Spirit daily to help us see the difference between what is "go

"Grant us by the Gifts of the Holy Spirit…"

Father David M. Knight

May 15, 2018

"Grant us by the Gifts of the Holy Spirit…"

Tuesday, 7th week of Easter, May 15, 2018 The traditional prayer just says: "Grant us by the Holy Spirit that we will love what is right and always rejoice in his consolations." Our version asks specifically for each Gift of the Spirit that we have defined and reflected on above. We name them in our daily prayer in order to become more conscious of them. And also to grow—day by day—into greater understanding and appreciation of each one. Those who hear what they pray become w

By the Light of the Holy Spirit

Father David M. Knight

May 14, 2018

By the Light of the Holy Spirit

Monday, 7th week of Easter, May 14, 2018 "God, by the light of the Holy Spirit, you instruct the hearts of the faithful." Before "leaving the world and… going to the Father,” Jesus promised: “I will not leave you orphaned… The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all I have said to you" (John 14:26; 16:28). With faith in Jesus's promise—and with the hope faith gives us—we ask God "by the Holy Spirit" to

Regenerate Our Hearts... Renew the Earth

Father David M. Knight

May 13, 2018

Regenerate Our Hearts... Renew the Earth

Sunday, 7th week of Easter, May 13, 2018—Feast of the Ascension "Our hearts will be regenerated. And you will renew the face of the earth" This is the fundamental hope of Christians living in this world. We believe God will in fact "send forth his Spirit"—and continue to send him. We believe our hearts can be regenerated. And will be. We believe the Spirit actually will "renew the face of the earth." That hope takes a lot of faith. So we keep professing our faith and our hope

"Enkindle in us the fire of your divine love"

Father David M. Knight

May 12, 2018

"Enkindle in us the fire of your divine love"

Saturday, 6th week of Easter, May 12, 2018 Paul wrote "God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit given to us" (Romans 5:5). This is mutual love. We all "love one another deeply from the heart" in "unity of spirit" (1Peter, chapters 1 to 3). This is not just human love. "Through the resurrection of Jesus," God has given us a "new birth" by "water and Spirit" based on "the living word of God announced through those who brought us Good News by the Holy S

"Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful"

Father David M. Knight

May 11, 2018

"Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful"

Friday, 6th week of Easter, May 11, 2018 We ask, first, that the Spirit come. The Holy Spirit is the "Paraclete," "Advocate": the one "called to our side." Jesus said, "I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate… to be with you forever, teach you everything, and remind you of all I have said to you" (John 14:16-26; 15:26). Second we ask the Spirit to "fill" our hearts, "occupy all available space," leaving room in our hearts only for the Beautiful; in our mi

"Rising" Prayers

Father David M. Knight

May 10, 2018

"Rising" Prayers

Thursday, 6th week of Easter, May 10, 2018 To launch your day, say three morning prayers: The Our Father, to declare your identity and priorities as his divine son or daughter. The WIT Prayer, to unite yourself to Jesus all day long: "Lord, live this day with me, live this day in me, live this day through me. Let me think with your thoughts, and speak with your words, and act as your body on earth." The "Come Holy Spirit…" There is no better time than the Easter season to m

Abandonment Leads to Gentleness

Father David M. Knight

May 8, 2018

Abandonment Leads to Gentleness

Tuesday, 6th week of Easter, May 8, 2018 We may experience the lack of Gentleness more than anything else in daily life. We blame ourselves— and others—for impatience, speaking harshly, pushing instead of persuading, ordering instead of asking. For using fear of consequences more than conversion. We forget our relationship, our yoke of partnership with Jesus who said: “Learn from me; for I am gentle and humble in heart” (Matthew 11:29). People rejected Jesus as Messiah becaus

Faithfulness Is Relationship

Father David M. Knight

May 7, 2018

Faithfulness Is Relationship

Monday, 6th week of Easter, May 7, 2018 The fruit of Faithfulness appears when it is evident that everything one does is an act of living out one's personal relationship with God. And this relationship is one of faith; that is, knowledge of God as Person—Three Persons with whom one has entered into a covenant relationship. Faith is the gift of sharing in God's own act of knowing himself. Jesus said, "No one knows the Father except the Son" (Matthew 11:27), because to know God

Kindness Is Divine

Father David M. Knight

May 5, 2018

Kindness Is Divine

Saturday, 5th week of Easter, May 5, 2018 Jesus teaches us not just to endure evil, but to respond to it actively, with Kindness. Pope Francis says this word "makes it clear that 'Patience' is not a completely passive attitude, but one accompanied by activity, by a dynamic and creative interaction [relationship] with others." Jesus suggests turning the other cheek; giving up coat and cloak; walking another mile. Francis says Kindness is characteristic of a person who “shows g

Priorities Give Patient Endurance

Father David M. Knight

May 4, 2018

Priorities Give Patient Endurance

Friday, 5th week of Easter, May 4, 2018 Impatience comes from frustration, being blocked from achieving what we desire. If other people are responsible, we feel like punishing them. We show human patience if we reprove them without anger, saying only what it is true, doing or requiring only what is fair. But Patient Endurance, the divine "Fruit of the Spirit," calls us to respond with two other Fruits of the Spirit: Kindness, and Generosity (to examine later). What makes Pati

Hoping Gives the Fruit of Peace

Immersed in Christ

May 3, 2018

Hoping Gives the Fruit of Peace

Thursday, 5th week of Easter, May 3, 2018 Jesus promised Peace to all who live his divine Life: Peace I give to you… not as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid (John 14:27). If we don't experience Peace, we are not consciously living his divine life. We often blame others for taking away our Peace. Mistake. What others ("the world") cannot give, others cannot take away. Our Peace does not rest on optimistic expectations, but on h

Remembering Gives the Fruit of Joy

Father David M. Knight

May 2, 2018

Remembering Gives the Fruit of Joy

Wednesday, 5th week of Easter, May 2, 2018 If Christians are not joyful, we can forget about proclaiming the Good News. If we don't have Joy, we haven't actually heard the Good News. True Joy is not a feeling, but a deep awareness we have reason to be happy. Jesus on the cross was not feeling joy. But he was deeply aware he was doing the will of the Father with love. For him that was the essence of happiness. He had Joy. He also knew he was "leaving the world and going to the

Caring is the Fruit of Love

Father David M. Knight

May 1, 2018

Caring is the Fruit of Love

Tuesday, 5th week of Easter, May 1, 2018 Are we truly aware that a Christian life is one characterized by Love? Do we get up in the morning eager to show love to everyone we meet all day? When we go to bed at night, do we look back to see if we have been focused on Love? If those who know us were asked to describe us, would "loving" be the first word on their lips? Is it our first desire, our motivating goal in life, to become a loving person? Is this the "success" we work fo

"By Their Fruits You Will Know…"

Father David M. Knight

Apr 30, 2018

"By Their Fruits You Will Know…"

Monday, 5th week of Easter, April 30, 2018 The readings for Easter Sunday Five begin with the gift of Awe of the Lord and end with the Fruit of the Spirit: The Church…. was at peace. It was being built up and walked in the awe of the Lord, and with the consolation of the Holy Spirit grew in numbers (Acts 9:31). Children, let us love not in word but in deed… Those who keep his commandments remain in him, and he in them. And the way we know he remains in us is from the Spirit h

The Gift of Awe of the Lord

Father David M. Knight

Apr 29, 2018

The Gift of Awe of the Lord

5th Sunday of Easter, April 29, 2018 Awe is a better name for this Gift of the Spirit than Fear of the Lord, because fear suggests the emotion of fright. Fear without fright is just perspective. Awe is the gift of seeing in perspective God's greatness and our littleness, God's power and our weakness, God's knowledge and love compared to ours. Seeing ourselves and God in perspective, we see it as insanity to go against God in any way. That is how the Gift of Awe strengthens ou

The Gift of Courage

Father David M. Knight

Apr 28, 2018

The Gift of Courage

Saturday, 4th week of Easter, April 28, 2018 The gift of Strength, or Courage is the Gift of the Holy Spirit that strengthens our wills to do what is difficult or dangerous. In ordinary situations, Piety or Family Spirit is enough to motivate the good we do. Mothers enjoy taking care of their children; fathers enjoy playing with them. But when the baby cries all night, or work has put parents under stress, they ask God for strength. And it is there. It is a Gift of the Holy S

The Gift of Piety (Family Spirit)

Father David M. Knight

Apr 27, 2018

The Gift of Piety (Family Spirit)

Friday, 4th week of Easter, April 27, 2018 Most countries have some fundamental attitude that determines how they deal with each other in ordinary life. For the British it might be "fair play," or politeness. For the French, "liberté, fraternité, égalité." For the Germans, "Ordnung muss sein." For Americans, maybe friendliness. The foundational virtue of the Roman people is presented in the pius Aeneas of Virgil's epic as Pietas—the "gut bond" of loyalty to one's family, one'

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