Forum on Christianity and Spirituality
November 7, 2024, 7:30 p.m. CST What does it mean to be a soul?
by Philip St. Romain, M.S., D. Min. See https://shalomplace.com/inetmin/forum.html for more information and registration.
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Message of the Day
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From the world’s perspective, there are many places you can go to find comfort. But there is only one place you will find a hand to catch your tears and a heart to listen to your every longing. True peace comes only from God.
- Charles Stanley ("Give all your concerns to God, Who cares about you." 1 Pt. 5:7)
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Readings of the Day
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Eph 6:1-9; Ps 145:10-11, 12-13ab, 13cd-14 Lk 13:22-30 Jesus passed through towns and villages,
teaching as he went and making his way to Jerusalem.
Someone asked him,
"Lord, will only a few people be saved?"
He answered them,
"Strive to enter through the
narrow gate,
for many, I tell you, will attempt to enter
but will not be strong enough.
After the master of the house has arisen and locked the door,
then will you stand outside knocking and saying,
'Lord, open the door for us.'
He will say to you in
reply,
'I do not know where you are from.'
And you will say,
'We ate and drank in your company and you taught in our streets.'
Then he will say to you,
'I do not know where you are from.
Depart from me, all you evildoers!'
And there will be wailing and grinding of teeth
when you see Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob
and all the prophets in the Kingdom of God
and you yourselves cast out.
And people will come from the east and the west
and from the north and the south
and will recline at table in the Kingdom of God.
For behold, some are last who will be first,
and some are first who will be
last." USCCB lectionary
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Reflection on the Scripture
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If we accept God’s call to be submissive in circumstance after circumstance, we will open ourselves to being filled with the Spirit. The beginning of this teaching on submission
in Ephesians is verse 5:21. Although this verse looks like a sentence in some translations, it is a participial phrase in the original. Verse 21 is subordinated to the main verb in the sentence, which is “be filled” (with the Holy Spirit) in 5:18. In the original Greek, the Lord is saying that we must live lives of submission if we are to be filled with the Holy Spirit. The Blessed Virgin Mary received the Holy Spirit after calling herself
God’s handmaid (Lk 1:38). Those who received the Spirit at the first Christian Pentecost humbled themselves in asking: “What are we to do?” (Acts 2:37) Twelve Ephesian men received the Spirit after they humbly admitted that they had never heard of the Spirit (Acts 19:2). Cornelius and his household received the Spirit after Cornelius prostrated himself in submission to Peter (Acts 10:25). The Spirit descended on Jesus when He submitted Himself to John’s baptism (Mt 3:14-15). Life in submission
leads to life in the Spirit. Prayer: Father, I love You by submitting myself to those whom You have given authority over me. Promise: “Try to come in through the narrow door.” —Lk 13:24 Presentation Ministries
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Spiritual Reading
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Readings from Jesus Alive in Our Lives, by Philip St. Romain. Ave Maria Press, 1985. Contemplative Ministries, Inc. 2011. Part Three, Gift of the Spirit Chapter : The Holy Spirit and the
Trinity - Selected quotes
A third criterion you can use for recognizing the presence of the Spirit in your life and elsewhere is the manifestation of the fruits of the Spirit. In fact, this is probably the most important means for discerning the Spirit, as charismatic manifestations can sometimes be the result of human and even
demonic processes—as in telling the future, for example, or working signs and wonders. Remember that in the Old Testament, Pharaoh had his own miracle workers, who were puzzled by the signs worked by Moses. In the New Testament, there is the story of Simon the magician (Acts 8:9-25), who practiced magic arts and was held in esteem by the people. When Simon saw the signs worked by Christian leaders through the power of the Spirit, he became puzzled and wanted to do the
same. This eventually led to a confrontation with Peter, but Simon seems to have found sufficient humility to avoid total condemnation.
“Beware of false prophets who come to you disguised as sheep but underneath are ravenous wolves,” Jesus warns. “You will be able to tell them by their fruits” (Mt. 7:15).
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