Pentecost Sunday Year C - 15/5/2016 - Gospel: Jn 20:19-23
Relevation
The revelation of God means that God made himself known to the human race. God reveals to us through Jesus Christ who came to the world to reveal God's love for the world. Jesus reveals not just God's love for the world but shows also the way to know the Father
I am the way, truth and life and those who follow me will have eternal life.
The penitential rites at the beginning of the Eucharist is when we give thanks to God for God's mercy when we confess: Lord have mercy.
You teach us wisdom, and write your truth in our inmost heart-
Lord, Jesus you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father-
You have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth-
From these confessions we know that the Spirit of truth plays a significant role in helping us to know God with two methods of revelations. One is a general revelation and the second one is a communal or collectiveness revelation. The general revelation helps us to see the hand of God in nature, in its beauty, in the greatness of nature and in our inmost heart. The general revelation can be divided into two different ways. One is a general individual revelation for everyone and the second one is specifically called by name. Because we are made after God's image that means each one of us has already had some quality of God's goodness in our hearts. It helps us to choose between good and love instead evil and hatred; compassion and mercy instead of coldness and cruelty. We choose God's goodness when we listen to the voice of a loving heart, a heart of flesh, not a heart of stone. We choose badness and evil Spirit when we follow the path of selfish ambition. General individual revelation has to do with personal salvation while specific revelation has to do with active witness for God; the former is about the birth of Jesus Christ and His teaching and the call for conversion of hearts while the letter is more to do with a specific task given in a particular time. Mary and Joseph were called to be the earthly parent of Jesus. John the Baptist was called to be the Precursor and bore witness for the light and baptised the Lord. Jesus specifically chose the twelve Apostles to accompany Him in His earthly ministry. Peter was chosen to be the Rock on which Jesus built His Church. Paul was chosen to be the Apostle for the Gentiles.
The first communal or collective revelation happened when the Apostles were gathering for discernment of the Spirit to choose Matthias Acts 1,15ff. Both the universal and local Church have gathered from time to time to consul the Spirit for specific needs relating to the lives of the Church and her faithful.
Because the Spirit of God given to us helps us to be reborn again through the water of baptism and we become children of God. Individual revelation is continuing because Jesus has promised to send us the Spirit who will reveal what Jesus has taught and guides us to be faithful to His way. Those who open their mind and heart to listen to the inner voice certainly will be led by the Spirit; those who refuse to listen to the inner voice from within their hearts continue to have the inward battles and would never enjoy the gift of peace the Risen Lord has given.
I am the way, truth and life and those who follow me will have eternal life.
The penitential rites at the beginning of the Eucharist is when we give thanks to God for God's mercy when we confess: Lord have mercy.
You teach us wisdom, and write your truth in our inmost heart-
Lord, Jesus you have revealed yourself as the way to the Father-
You have poured out on your people the Spirit of truth-
From these confessions we know that the Spirit of truth plays a significant role in helping us to know God with two methods of revelations. One is a general revelation and the second one is a communal or collectiveness revelation. The general revelation helps us to see the hand of God in nature, in its beauty, in the greatness of nature and in our inmost heart. The general revelation can be divided into two different ways. One is a general individual revelation for everyone and the second one is specifically called by name. Because we are made after God's image that means each one of us has already had some quality of God's goodness in our hearts. It helps us to choose between good and love instead evil and hatred; compassion and mercy instead of coldness and cruelty. We choose God's goodness when we listen to the voice of a loving heart, a heart of flesh, not a heart of stone. We choose badness and evil Spirit when we follow the path of selfish ambition. General individual revelation has to do with personal salvation while specific revelation has to do with active witness for God; the former is about the birth of Jesus Christ and His teaching and the call for conversion of hearts while the letter is more to do with a specific task given in a particular time. Mary and Joseph were called to be the earthly parent of Jesus. John the Baptist was called to be the Precursor and bore witness for the light and baptised the Lord. Jesus specifically chose the twelve Apostles to accompany Him in His earthly ministry. Peter was chosen to be the Rock on which Jesus built His Church. Paul was chosen to be the Apostle for the Gentiles.
The first communal or collective revelation happened when the Apostles were gathering for discernment of the Spirit to choose Matthias Acts 1,15ff. Both the universal and local Church have gathered from time to time to consul the Spirit for specific needs relating to the lives of the Church and her faithful.
Because the Spirit of God given to us helps us to be reborn again through the water of baptism and we become children of God. Individual revelation is continuing because Jesus has promised to send us the Spirit who will reveal what Jesus has taught and guides us to be faithful to His way. Those who open their mind and heart to listen to the inner voice certainly will be led by the Spirit; those who refuse to listen to the inner voice from within their hearts continue to have the inward battles and would never enjoy the gift of peace the Risen Lord has given.
Written by Fr Vũđình Tường
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia
St Francis Xavier Catholic Parish
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane Australia