SATURDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER VIGIL MASS OF THE PENTECOSTFEAST OF THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - Jn 7:37-39 - THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

"Rivers of living water" (Jn 7:38)

READING OF THE DAY

A reading from the Acts of the Apostles

Acts 28:16-20, 30-31

When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself,

with the soldier who was guarding him.

Three days later he called together the leaders of the Jews.

When they had gathered he said to them, "My brothers,

although I had done nothing against our people

or our ancestral customs,

I was handed over to the Romans as a prisoner from Jerusalem.

After trying my case the Romans wanted to release me,

because they found nothing against me deserving the death penalty.

But when the Jews objected, I was obliged to appeal to Caesar,

even though I had no accusation to make against my own nation.

This is the reason, then, I have requested to see you

and to speak with you, for it is on account of the hope of Israel

that I wear these chains."

He remained for two full years in his lodgings.

He received all who came to him, and with complete assurance

and without hindrance he proclaimed the Kingdom of God

and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ.

GOSPEL OF THE DAY

From the Gospel according to John

Jn 21:20-25

Peter turned and saw the disciple following whom Jesus loved,

the one who had also reclined upon his chest during the supper

and had said, "Master, who is the one who will betray you?"

When Peter saw him, he said to Jesus, "Lord, what about him?"

Jesus said to him, "What if I want him to remain until I come?

What concern is it of yours?

You follow me."

So the word spread among the brothers that that disciple would not die.

But Jesus had not told him that he would not die,

just "What if I want him to remain until I come?

What concern is it of yours?"

It is this disciple who testifies to these things

and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true.

There are also many other things that Jesus did,

but if these were to be described individually,

I do not think the whole world would contain the books

that would be written.

SATURDAY OF THE SEVENTH WEEK OF EASTER VIGIL MASS OF THE PENTECOSTFEAST OF THE DESCENT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT - Jn 7:37-39

THE WORD OF GOD FOR EVERYONE

Dear People of God,

In today's Gospel, Jesus reveals to humanity that the Holy Spirit is the source of human life.

Before returning to heaven, Jesus Christ promised to send the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to humans. Is it when Jesus Christ ascends to heaven that the Holy Spirit works on humans? The answer is No Spirit Yet.

Right from the beginning of creation, the Holy Spirit has been working in each person's soul.

It is written in the Bible that when God created humans from the dust of the ground, He breathed life into them. The dust became human with souls and bodies. Indeed, the Holy Spirit is always active with humans. However, in the period of creation, the Holy Spirit was not clearly present as the Son of God came to earth becoming a human being.

The Holy Spirit is Strength, Spirit, and Life for humans. All who want to have eternal life should turn to God, to the source of life which is the Holy Spirit, as Jesus Christ said: "Let anyone who thirsts come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as scripture says: 'Rivers of living water will flow from within him.'"

When speaking of the Holy Spirit, we must speak of the connection between the Holy Spirit and God the Father and Jesus Christ, God coming to earth become human; Because the Holy Trinity is always one God united with each other. God reveals that to have the power of the Holy Spirit, humans must listen to and obey God the Father through Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit unites with the Father and the Son to give humanity life.

Recalling the period of creation, humans have life due to the spirit of the Holy Spirit;

The Holy Spirit will raise the human body in the afterlife as God's Word wrote in the Bible about the story of the "dry bones":

When God told Ezekiel that the dry bones would rise, it was through the Spirit of the Holy Spirit that the bodies of the dead would be made, so that those dry bones would rise with their souls in the afterlife. That is the day when God comes the second time in glory. Once the Bible is written, it will certainly become reality. Therefore, Catholicism has always believed that there is eternal life in the afterlife and that the body will be resurrected.

It is the Holy Spirit that makes people know how to unite with each other, open their mouths to praise God, and speak God's words. Thanks to the power of the Holy Spirit, people will be able to do what God wants. If anyone knows how to listen and practice the words of Jesus Christ and opens their hearts to receive the spirit of the Holy Spirit, that person will have strength and power over the demons of Satan and will be resurrected on the last day as Jesus Christ Himself was resurrected and is eternal with God the Father.

To prepare for the day of Pentecost on the apostles, as well as on all those who call on the strength and power of the Holy Spirit, today is the day of Vigil. God speaks to everyone that:

- It is from the fullness of Jesus Christ that the source of life will flow.

- The Spirit of the Holy Spirit will descend on all those who believe absolutely in Jesus Christ, the God who died and rose again.

- When He sends the Holy Spirit to humanity, everyone who opens their hearts will receive the power and strength of the Holy Spirit clearly within them. God will let that person feel the power and activity of the Holy Spirit in his own person. When the Holy Spirit comes to work in our bodies and souls, no enemy will be able to snatch our souls out of the hands of God the Father.

Thanks be to God. Amen.