The Sunday Sermon Archive

Dear Friends,

The Holy Ghost has come to us, and Jesus has left us. Or, so it appears in the eyes of men. In reality, all the while Jesus was on this earth, the Holy Ghost was with Him. Jesus is with the Holy Ghost, as well, when He came upon the Apostles. Likewise, the Father is always with the Son and the Holy Ghost. They are Three Persons, but One God. Their works are One.

The Holy Ghost is manifested to us in the form of a Dove when He presented Himself descending upon Jesus at His baptism. This form of manifestation instructs us, that Jesus has come in simplicity and meekness like a Dove. The Holy Ghost is the Spirit of Jesus Christ. This Spirit has come in mercy and meekness to take our sins upon Himself, to offer a sinless, clean sacrifice to God in reparation for our sins.

Today we recall the appearance of the Holy Ghost as Tongues of Fire as He descended upon the Apostles. Here the Spirit of God has come as Tongues because He gave the gift of understanding all languages to the Apostles, but also because Jesus is the Word of God and the Holy Ghost has come to remind the Apostles of all that Jesus taught them as well as to complete the instructions that Jesus gave them.

God is the teacher of mankind. We hear words from our instructors from outside of ourselves, but we learn from the Holy Ghost living within us. It is God Who lifts the veil that hides so many truths from our minds. The words of the instructor give hints and point out the way, but all of this is empty words until a clarity enters our minds and then we see and understand what was once hidden.

In the spiritual realm, the Instructor is Jesus Christ and the Holy Ghost is the Spirit that moves and enlightens our hearts and minds from within. Yet, they are One. The words of the Word invite, and point out the Will of the Father; the Holy Ghost lifts the cloud that sin has placed around us. In this concert of action, God reveals Himself to us at the same time that He gives Himself to us. The unity of the Trinity calls us to Himself.

We, like the Apostles, are filled with sorrow at the departure of the Son, however, Jesus tells us not to be sorrowful. His physical departure is necessary so that the Holy Ghost can come to us. Yet, the Holy Ghost is not alone but is One with the Father and the Son. As the Humanity of Jesus is taken away from the eyes of our bodies, the Divinity of the Trinity enters into us (if we are cooperating with Him). We see with the eyes of our souls rather than with the eyes of our bodies. The sight that the Holy Ghost reveals to us as He teaches us and helps us to understand the words of Jesus, is measured out to us in the degree that we cooperate in Love. It is far more beautiful and wondrous than the physical words that reach our ears or our eyes from the written words of God.

It is not enough to read or hear the words of Scripture. It is not even enough to memorize them and repeat them. All of this is empty and meaningless until we receive the Holy Ghost and through the love of God are truly instructed in the meanings of these things. It is truly for our benefit, that Jesus' Humanity is now hidden from us because we now must look beyond the physical realm and into the spiritual realm, where we are able to draw much closer to The Divinity of God. We learn of God, from God, in the hidden realm of the soul and the supernatural.

When we love God and truly desire Him from the depths of our souls, the Holy Ghost enters in and pushes back the darkness, the clouds, or the veils that have hidden the Truths (Reality) of God from us. The darkness of the clouds and veils are caused by sin that has distorted our vision. These sins are overcome by the Sacrificial reparation made by Jesus upon the Cross, and it is through the work of the Holy Ghost that these are cleared away and true Light shines upon our souls. The Trinity works together in all things.

Lastly, we recall that the Holy Ghost came as fire upon the Apostles. These tongues of fire, show us that it is with burning desire we must love God. It is with a fire that we must judge ourselves before we are judged by God. The Word of God represented by the tongues is also a fire that burns and consumes our souls, purging out sin, purifying our hearts, and then burning eternally with love. It is to advance in degrees during our lives here on earth until we reach the point of sanctity and we are able to say with St. Paul, that it is no longer us, but Jesus Christ living within us.

May we all welcome the Holy Ghost into our lives today and forever. The love in our hearts is to develop from human love to become one in the Eternal Flame of Love.

email: father@friarsminor.org Franciscan Benefactor Seraph Subscription Vocations Have you remembered God?