It is far easier to say that our baptism was simply a conversion event in which we all became children of God our Father and our sins were washed away momentarily, or rather till we fell into sin again. This is far from the truth! For by our baptism we were inserted into the life, death and resurrection of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We were baptised with living water and the fire of the Holy Spirit was infused within us. We had received an indelible mark upon us and as God our Father’s children, we are called to live our lives in Holiness. Are we then living our lives in the Spirit today and everyday?
Let us pray earnestly to the Lord our God, as we prepare our hearts minds and soul for a powerful renewal this Sunday. Through a mighty outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we shall go out to set the world ablaze with the fire of His love; and we shall renew the face of the earth though Him, with Him and in Him. Amen Alleluia!
First reading
Acts 19:1-8 ·
The moment Paul laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on them
While Apollos was in Corinth, Paul made his way overland as far as Ephesus, where he found a number of disciples. When he asked, ‘Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you became believers?’ they answered, ‘No, we were never even told there was such a thing as a Holy Spirit.’ ‘Then how were you baptised?’ he asked. ‘With John’s baptism’ they replied. ‘John’s baptism’ said Paul ‘was a baptism of repentance; but he insisted that the people should believe in the one who was to come after him – in other words, Jesus.’ When they heard this, they were baptised in the name of the Lord Jesus, and the moment Paul had laid hands on them the Holy Spirit came down on them, and they began to speak with tongues and to prophesy. There were about twelve of these men.
He began by going to the synagogue, where he spoke out boldly and argued persuasively about the kingdom of God. He did this for three months.
Gospel
John 16:29-33
Be brave, for I have conquered the world
His disciples said to Jesus, ‘Now you are speaking plainly and not using metaphors! Now we see that you know everything, and do not have to wait for questions to be put into words; because of this we believe that you came from God.’ Jesus answered them:
‘Do you believe at last?
Listen; the time will come – in fact it has come already –
when you will be scattered,
each going his own way and leaving me alone.
And yet I am not alone,
because the Father is with me.
I have told you all this
so that you may find peace in me.
In the world you will have trouble,
but be brave: I have conquered the world.’
CatholicJules.net 