The Holy Spirit is here and now

Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor.

A reflection on the daily readings, for Friday of the Sixth Week of Easter, by Father Perry.

By Father Perry D. Leiker, pastor

The Acts of the Apostles continues to showcase the good works of Paul.

He spent his time preaching and teaching about the Lord; and he was successful at it. After about a year-and-a-half, some of the Jews rose up against him and took him to the tribunal with accusations against him for breaking Jewish laws.

Sosthenes, the synagogue official, is beaten, “but none of this was of concern to Gallio.”

His case was thrown out of court. He stayed for some time after that, then decided to move on to another place. He said his farewells, then left. Like everyone else, Paul had his ups and downs, yet he remained so faithful to the Gospel and to the Lord.

‘A joy that could never be taken away’

Jesus again calls his disciples to hang in there while telling them again that they would be sad when he left them, but promised he would see them again. And when that time came, he promised them joy that “no one” could take from them. And he promised God’s faithful love for them.

All of this is anticipatory to his leaving and his giving of the Spirit to them. Of course, this story is 2,000 years old, but we retell it and in a sense relive it precisely so that we can enter that space — liturgical space at that — to discover for ourselves that same gift of the Holy Spirit in the here and now.

His promise holds true, even to this day!