Scripture:
Acts 16:11-15
John 15:26-16:4a
Reflection:
“The Lord takes delight in his people…the Spirit of truth will testify…”
One of the most amazing truths about our God is how much he loves us – delights in us even! How easy it is for us to lose sight of that truth – we make a mistake and beat ourselves up over it, the treadmill of life gets moving so fast that we forget that we are not in control, our self esteem gets trampled by words of another or our perceived response of a particular situation – causing us to second guess ourselves.
Today’s readings remind us that Jesus promised an Advocate to help keep the Spirit of Truth alive in our hearts, minds and lives. When was the last time you spent some intentional time in the presence of the Holy Spirit – the Advocate? What practices have you developed to help you notice the presence of God in your life? To help you remember how precious you are in God’s eyes, how much he delights in you?
Life can get very crazy and unpredictable – in the blink of an eye! We know that in a very real way as we continue to navigate through this unprecedented pandemic. But we are not alone, God is with us – if only we notice.
The season of Spring surround us with new buds, blossoms, scents, birds singing, vibrant colors, rain and blue skies. We only need to look around to see the joy of God’s creation – joy is how we ‘testify’ to the truth that ‘our Lord takes delight in us’ – perhaps a question for us to ponder is how do we share our joy – how do others notice our joy?
Faith Offman is the Associate Director of Ministry at St. Paul of the Cross Passionist Retreat and Conference Center in Detroit, Michigan.
