How are we witnesses to the Holy Spirit? We see in today’s first reading, Peter who denied knowing Jesus three times and his fellow apostles who fled when Jesus was arrested, now boldly proclaiming Jesus as the risen Lord and rebuking all who had put Him to death! This was a clear sign that they now lived a Holy Spirit filled life.
For God gave them the Spirit without reserve, and they knew with all their very being that because they believed in their Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ; eternal life with Him was theirs to have. They had become powerful witnesses of the risen Lord! So must we be His witnesses, through the power of the Holy Spirit.
You are way, the truth and the life! Let us come before our Heavenly Father through You, with You and in You. Now and forever. Amen Alleluia
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First reading
Acts 5:27-33 ·
We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit
When the officials had brought the apostles in to face the Sanhedrin, the high priest demanded an explanation. ‘We gave you a formal warning’ he said ‘not to preach in this name, and what have you done? You have filled Jerusalem with your teaching, and seem determined to fix the guilt of this man’s death on us.’ In reply Peter and the apostles said, ‘Obedience to God comes before obedience to men; it was the God of our ancestors who raised up Jesus, but it was you who had him executed by hanging on a tree. By his own right hand God has now raised him up to be leader and saviour, to give repentance and forgiveness of sins through him to Israel. We are witnesses to all this, we and the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.’
This so infuriated them that they wanted to put them to death.
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Gospel
John 3:31-36
The Father loves the Son and has entrusted everything to him
John the Baptist said to his disciples:
‘He who comes from above is above all others;
he who is born of the earth is earthly himself
and speaks in an earthly way.
He who comes from heaven
bears witness to the things he has seen and heard,
even if his testimony is not accepted;
though all who do accept his testimony
are attesting the truthfulness of God,
since he whom God has sent
speaks God’s own words:
God gives him the Spirit without reserve.
The Father loves the Son
and has entrusted everything to him.
Anyone who believes in the Son has eternal life,
but anyone who refuses to believe in the Son will never see life:
the anger of God stays on him.’
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