St. Norbert's Church - Sunday Reflections

Holy Spirit! May that Holy Spirit be on us today! As we listen to the readings today, we can sense the work of the Holy Spirit: Peace, Forgiveness and Love. This is the only way to live in community. Jesus wants us to live in community with one another. Why? Because without community, we will not love one another. When we are in community, we know the needs of one another and can serve one another.

Jesus also knows that when we live in community we must learn to forgive. None of us is perfect! We make mistakes. We offend one another. We do things against one another. The only way of reconciliation is forgiveness of one another.

The reading from the Acts of the Apostles tells us today that the Holy Spirit allows us to understand one another, no matter what language we speak. In the time of the early followers of Jesus, these women and men had the gift of tongues, of understand foreign languages. Even today some people are given this gift. Saint Paul tells us that the more important gift is to love one another. If we love one another, we will understand one another.

The reading from the First Letter to the Corinthians tells us today that we can only call Jesus Lord because of the Holy Spirit. That Holy Spirit also is not a Spirit of division and confusion. The Holy Spirit is a gift that unites us in service of one another. The Holy Spirit is given to build up the Christian community, not for the sake of an individual.

The Gospel of John today is a teaching on the Spirit as well. When Jesus is with us, he tell us to have peace. Jesus sends His Spirit among us for the forgiveness of sins.

Thus in our Christian communities we must seek to listen to one another with hearts of love so that we can understand one another in love. This Spirit is given to us to build up our Christian communities, not to focus on the greatness of one Christian or another. We are all given the gifts of the Holy Spirit in order to know, love and serve Jesus Christ. We are given the gifts of the Holy Spirit in order to know, love and serve one another in Jesus Christ.

Holy Spirit, come to us! Fill our hearts with your love so that we may love Jesus Christ and love one another. Give us your gift of wisdom so that we can truly see what is right and good in every situation. Help us forgive one another any offense that may happen so that we may leave in peace and harmony and give witness to the beauty and love of Jesus Christ.

Amen. Alleluia!