Tuesday of the First Week of Advent

Mary Jo Barr
Dec 5, 2023
2 min read

READINGS

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, "I give you praise, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, for although you have hidden these things from the wise and the learned you have revealed them to the childlike. Yes, Father, such has been your gracious will. All things have been handed over to me by my Father. No one knows who the Son is except the Father, and who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son wishes to reveal him." Turning to the disciples in private he said, "Blessed are the eyes that see what you see. For I say to you, many prophets and kings desired to see what you see, but did not see it, and to hear what you hear, but did not hear it."

REFLECTION

Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit! Why is Jesus rejoicing?

The seventy-two disciples, whom Jesus sent on a mission, returned excited to report about all the incredible things they accomplished with the help of the Holy Spirit. Jesus is praising God the Father for His amazing plan of salvation for His children.

God had given Jesus and the Holy Spirit a joint mission. "When the Father sends his Word, he always sends his Breath. In their joint mission, the Son and the Holy Spirit are distinct but inseparable. To be sure, it is Christ who is seen, the visible image of the invisible God, but it is the Spirit who reveals him." (CCC 689)

It is after the Resurrection. "When Jesus is finally glorified, he can in turn send the Spirit from his place with the Father to those who believe in him: he communicates his glory, that is, the Holy Spirit who glorifies him. From that time on, this joint mission will be manifested in the children adopted by the Father in the Body of his Son: the mission of the Spirit of adoption is to unite them to Christ and make them live in him:"

(CCC 690)

"The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is brought to completion in the Church, which is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit." (CCC 737)

REJOICE! How wonderful is the Father's plan! We must rejoice with Jesus!

How can we rejoice?

We must prepare, do God's Will, and keep Jesus in our sight.

Join us at the PAPA Advent Retreat this week, Dec. 8th through Dec. 10th. We will learn from a theologian how to stay faithful to the Holy Catholic Church. The theme is "Seven Ways to Excommunication" which is something we must be "aware, alert and attuned" to avoid.

.