The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. – Acts 16:14

    One day, two friends were talking to each other. (Pedro is busy dribbling the ball.)

       People can sometimes be like Juan and Pedro. We can hear clearly but do not understand clearly. Week in and week out, we go to Mass and hear the Word of God, but why does it seem that there is no change or conversion happening in our lives?

       I believe hearing is not the problem. Listening is. Most of the time, we listen to respond, instead of listening to understand. We listen to speak our minds. That’s why we miss out on things that may possibly nourish us or encourage us to change for the better.

       Today’s reading speaks about the conversion of Lydia. Although she was a great worshiper of God, she still humbly listened to what Paul was saying. Like Lydia, may we learn to seal our lips first, so we can open our hearts to listen to what God is telling us. Velden Lim (veldenlim@gmail.com)

Pope Francis Says: “The one who listens attentively to the Word of God, and truly prays, always asks the Lord: ‘What is Your will for me?’”

Jesus, teach me to listen. Humble me when I think I know all the answers.

St. Athanasius, bishop and doctor of the Church, pray for us.

Paul was tireless in preaching the Gospel. He was someone who got things done. Athanasius was also a committed worker for the Gospel. He was exiled a number of times from his Bishopric (See) due to disputes with civil authorities but he never backed down from the truth as revealed in the Scriptures and through the Church.

11 We set sail from Troas, making a straight run for Samothrace, and on the next day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, a leading city in that district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We spent some time in that city. 13 On the sabbath we went outside the city gate along the river where we thought there would be a place of prayer. We sat and spoke with the women who had gathered there. 14 One of them, a woman named Lydia, a dealer in purple cloth, from the city of Thyatira, a worshiper of God, listened, and the Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what Paul was saying. 15 After she and her household had been baptized, she offered us an invitation, “If you consider me a believer in the Lord, come and stay at my home,” and she prevailed on us.

Psalm 149:1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 9

R: The Lord takes delight in his people.

1 Sing to the Lord a new song of praise in the assembly of the faithful. 2 Let Israel be glad in their maker, let the children of Zion rejoice in their king. (R) 3 Let them praise his name in the festive dance, let them sing praise to him with timbrel and harp. 4 For the Lord loves his people, and he adorns the lowly with victory. (R) 5 Let the faithful exult in glory; let them sing for joy upon their couches; 6 let the high praises of God be in their throats. 9 This is the glory of all his faithful. Alleluia. (R)

The Holy Spirit is our leader and guide in the truth. We live in a pluralistic world where there are many alternative religions, philosophies and ideas. How do we know the truth? The Holy Spirit will help us if we trust Him and follow His lead. Let us always be guided by the Church (led by the Holy Spirit) as we establish the values and precepts of the Kingdom of God among His people.

The Spirit of truth will testify to me, says the Lord, and you also will testify.

26 Jesus said to his disciples: “When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father, the Spirit of truth that proceeds from the Father, he will testify to me. 27 And you also testify, because you have been with me from the beginning. 16:1 I have told you this so that you may not fall away. 2 They will expel you from the synagogues; in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you will think he is offering worship to God. 3 They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me. 4 I have told you this so that when their hour comes you may remember that I told you.”

Thank You Lord for: __________________

If there is a word that best describes the tenor of today’s First Reading from the Acts of the Apostles, it is movement. Luke narrates a typical day (actually days) in the life of the post-resurrection disciples of Jesus. They went from Troas, then to Samothrace, then to Neapolis, then onwards to Philippi in Macedonia. And even when they were already in a city, they kept moving. The last line of the First Reading says it all. After baptizing a local woman named Lydia and the rest of her household, she had to plead with Luke and Paul to stay at her house for a while, and “she managed to prevail on us” (see v. 15).

       It is interesting to note that prior to the resurrection, the Apostles were all holed up in a room: frozen, immobile, stagnant, gripped with fear of what the Romans might do to the followers of Jesus whom they crucified at Golgotha. After rising from the dead, Jesus appeared to the Apostles and breathed the Holy Spirit on them (see John 20:22). From then on, the shut doors and closed windows were opened and there was no stopping the Apostles from permeating the ends of the earth with the Good News.

       When wind is present, there is movement in the surroundings. To know whether something or someone is alive, we look for movement. When someone is on fire, there is movement. Wind, life, fire, inspiration, drive — these are all images of the Holy Spirit. And with what happened to the Apostles, we know that movement is one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

       Claim that gift of the resurrection — the Holy Spirit. Expose to the Lord whatever seems to be stagnant in your life right now. As one local folk wisdom advises: “Kung mayroon kang pinagdadaanan ngayon, daanan mo lang. Huwag mong istambayan.” (If you are going through something now, move forward.) Ask for the gift of courage and perseverance to move on, to escape from whatever constricts and renders you immobile, frozen and uninspired. Ask for the gift of the Holy Spirit. Move on! Fr. Joel Jason

REFLECTION QUESTION: Do you see in your life right now the manifestations of the presence of the Spirit: life, fire, inspiration, drive, passion?

Come, O Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of Your faithful. Amen.