As Pentecost approaches, the Lord shines the spotlight ever more brightly on His Word. In the sixth day of the Pentecost novena, we are praying for a great outpouring and reception of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost Sunday. One of the first actions the Holy Spirit does is to break open the Word of God, make it come alive (Heb 4:12), and use it to enlarge His people (Acts 20:32).
On the first Christian Pentecost, the Spirit inspired St. Peter to preach from the Psalms (Acts 2:25ff). The Spirit then immediately used the proclaimed Word to bring three-thousand people to faith (Acts 2:41). When the Holy Spirit wields the Word of God (Eph 6:17), great growth and enlarging soon follow.
If we are serious about praying for the Holy Spirit, we need to dive into the Scriptures as never before. Many who receive the Holy Spirit find that one of the first effects is for the Scriptures to suddenly "leap off the page." However, no passages jump off the page at us if we haven't opened our Bibles. Jesus has given us God's Word (Jn 17:14). He also pours out the Spirit on us to make God's Word multiply in us. Let us accordingly do our part by reading our Bibles daily. Abide in God's Word (Jn 8:31), be enlarged (Acts 20:32), and thereby enlarge God's kingdom.
| PRAYER: | Father, may Catholics increasingly read, pray, study, share, teach, and obey Your Word. |
| PROMISE: | "I consecrate Myself for their sakes now, that they may be consecrated in truth." –Jn 17:19 |
| PRAISE: | St. Isidore, a farmer, began each day with morning Mass. He and his wife are both canonized saints. |
Reprinted with permission from Presentation Ministries, a lay association of the Catholic Church that focuses on evangelization and discipleship through Bible teaching, daily Mass, the charisms of the Holy Spirit, and Small Christian Community. Their ministries include:
· One Bread, One Body
· Daily Bread Radio Program
· Annual Bible Institute
· Discipleship Retreats
· Guadalupe Bible College