THE CONCHO PADRE POST

Gospel Jn 6:35-40

Jesus said to the crowds,
“I am the bread of life;
whoever comes to me will never hunger,
and whoever believes in me will never thirst.
But I told you that although you have seen me,
you do not believe.
Everything that the Father gives me will come to me,
and I will not reject anyone who comes to me,
because I came down from heaven not to do my own will
but the will of the one who sent me.
And this is the will of the one who sent me,
that I should not lose anything of what he gave me,
but that I should raise it on the last day.
For this is the will of my Father,
that everyone who sees the Son and believes in him
may have eternal life,
and I shall raise him on the last day.”

Pope Francis said the Holy Spirit pushes people and the Church forward but we resist this and do not want to change. His remarks came during his homily at the Mass on Tuesday morning celebrated at the Santa Marta residence which was dedicated to Benedict XVI in honour of his 86th birthday.

Pope Francis dedicated Tuesday’s mass to Benedict XVI 16th who turned 86 on this date. “May the Love be with him, comfort him and gave him much consolation,” he said.

Pope Francis’ homily at the mass was centred on the theme of the Holy Spirit and our resistance to it. It took its inspiration from the first reading of the day which was the story of the martyrdom of St. Stephen who described his accusers as stubborn people who were always resisting the Holy Spirit.

Put frankly, the Pope continued, “the Holy Spirit upsets us because it moves us, it makes us walk, it pushes the Church forward.” He said that we wish “to calm down the Holy Spirit, we want to tame it and this is wrong.” Pope Francis said “that’s because the Holy Spirit is the strength of God, it’s what gives us the strength to go forward” but many find this upsetting and prefer the comfort of the familiar.

Nowadays, he went on, “everybody seems happy about the presence of the Holy Spirit but it’s not really the case and there is still that temptation to resist it.” The Pope said one example of this resistance was the Second Vatican council which he called “a beautiful work of the Holy Spirit.” But 50 years later, “have we done everything the Holy Spirit was asking us to do during the Council,” he asked. The answer is “No,” said Pope Francis. “We celebrate this anniversary, we put up a monument but we don’t want it to upset us. We don’t want to change and what’s more there are those who wish to turn the clock back.” This, he went on, “is called stubbornness and wanting to tame the Holy Spirit.”

The Pope said the same thing happens in our personal life. “The Spirit pushes us to take a more evangelical path but we resist this.” He concluded his homily by urging those present not to resist the pull of the Holy Spirit. “Submit to the Holy Spirit,” he said, “which comes from within us and makes go forward along the path of holiness.”

Vatican Radio

A PRAYER FOR BOSTON

From a brother priest’s blog:

http://concordpastor.blogspot.com/2013/04/pause-for-prayer-tuesday-416.html

The Concho Padre

Once again we are faced with another act of senseless terrorism. Our prayers and thoughts go out to the people of Boston, especially those who were killed or injured and their families.

What does one say at a time like this? What is to be our reaction?

Of course, the first emotion we feel is one of anger that innocent people have been injured and killed. There is no rhyme or reason to these acts of terror. They are to be universally condemned.

But remember, the whole purpose of those who perpetrate these heinous acts is to make us afraid. That is why they are called terrorists and their acts called terrorism. They want us to terrorize us, to have us be afraid, to be too scared to go about our daily lives for fear that we will be their next victims.

We must not fall into their trap. We must go forward, living our lives as we normally do. In doing this, we do not forget those who have been affected by this horror; but we stand firm in saying that we will not succumb to the desired results of the terrorists.

I remember that Blessed John Paul II told us, “Do not be afraid.” Now our current Holy Father, Pope Francis, tells us to “never give in to pessimism.” Those sound like pretty good pieces of advice for all of us.

Let us continue to pray for an end to these attacks on humanity by those who apparently have no respect for human life, who will without any feelings of remorse or guilt take away innocent human lives in the pursuit of their own interests.

So, do not give up hope. Follow Christ in all things. He is our only hope and salvation!

The Concho Padre

O God, who open wide
the gates of the heavenly Kingdom
to those reborn of water and the Holy Spirit,
pour out on your servants
an increase of the grace you have bestowed,
that, having been purged of all sins,
they may lack nothing that in your kindness you have promised.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever.
– Amen.