Today's first reading from Acts 4 shows the generosity of the early Christians. People would sell everything and "put it at the feet of the Apostles." In the Gospel reading from John 3, we see part of the conversation between Jesus and Nicodemus.
Jesus said, "The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit."
What does it mean to be "born of the Spirit"? We receive the Holy Spirit in Baptism, and are sealed with the Spirit in Confirmation. But that doesn't mean that we are, by default, open to the workings of the Holy Spirit in our lives. Through prayer, openness and discernment, we acknowledge the promptings of the Spirit and are more willing to act on them. Let's pray that we can be more open to the movement of the Holy Spirit in our lives more and more each day.
Father, we ask for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit in our lives today. As we are born of the Spirit, let us be open to all the ways the Holy Spirit desires to move in us. Amen.
I LOVE the opening line (Acts 4:32-37) in today’s first reading: “The community of believers was of one heart and mind, and no one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they had everything in common.” This was the line that greatly helped me in a “debate” with a priest who used this passage to point out that (a) Catholic teaching is based in Socialism and (b) that the Apostles were Socialists.
I remember expressing that it was Robin Hood who stole from the rich to give to the poor and not Jesus. Also, Jesus never took anything from anyone (unlike a Socialist/Communist state) – He gave everything, including His Life! He also did not force the Apostles to follow Him; He just invited them. What the Apostles gave/shared, they did voluntarily.
I still take little solace in the fact that he agreed with me and acknowledged that everything I stated was correct. But that was one-on-one; how many heard that Homily and believed him still troubles me.