We are being called to get ready to welcome the Holy Spirit when he comes. We need to welcome more of the Spirit in our lives. Right now, some of the truth of the Church is too challenging for us, some of it is too complicated. Some of it we simply forget.
But when he comes, the Spirit of truth,
he will guide you to all truth.
The Spirit of truth helps us to receive the entire truth. Without the Spirit we find only partial truths.
For as I walked around looking carefully at your shrines,
I even discovered an altar inscribed, 'To an Unknown God.'
Rather than being threatened as one truth competing in a marketplace of many truths the Spirit shows us that all that is good, beautiful, and true belongs to us. We are not threatened by the partial truths of the world. We can lead people from those truths to the fullness of truth.
What therefore you unknowingly worship, I proclaim to you.
The God who made the world and all that is in it,
the Lord of heaven and earth,
does not dwell in sanctuaries made by human hands,
nor is he served by human hands because he needs anything.
The Holy Spirit allows us to do this. When we receive the truth from God we know that it is not just one among many. We come into the fullness of truth that comes from the Father. Coming to this truth feels like coming home. It feels like discovering something we've always dimly realized.
For 'In him we live and move and have our being,'
as even some of your poets have said,
'For we too are his offspring.'
We are called to cast aside the ignorance of former times and to welcome the Holy Spirit. He not only gives us the truth but also the strength to live it. Wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord are all his gifts. Love, joy, peace, goodness, gentleness, kindness, patience, faithfulness, and self-control are the fruits of his presence in our lives. It seems certain that we all need more of all of these gifts are fruits. The good news is that the Holy Spirit is ready to give these to us, especially at Pentecost. Let us prepare our hearts!
Praise the name of the LORD,
for his name alone is exalted;
His majesty is above earth and heaven.
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