Spirit of God

Readings for Tuesday August 31, 2010

First Reading: 1 Corinthians 2:10-16
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 145
Gospel: Luke 4:31-37


Brothers and sisters: The Spirit scrutinizes everything, even the depths of God. Among men, who knows what pertains to the man except his spirit that is within? Similarly, no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God. We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God. And we speak about them not with words taught by human wisdom, but with words taught by the Spirit, describing spiritual realities in spiritual terms. Now the natural man does not accept what pertains to the Spirit of God, for to him it is foolishness, and he cannot understand it, because it is judged spiritually. The one who is spiritual, however, can judge everything but is not subject to judgment by anyone. For “who has known the mind of the Lord, so as to counsel him?” But we have the mind of Christ. (1 Cor. 2:10-16)

Today's readings discuss two themes; the spirit of the world and the Spirit of God. St. Paul discusses the spirit of the world as something that does not help us to know God or to grasp spiritual realities any better. We also read about a "spirit of the world" in today's gospel. This evil spirit is one that possesses a man, and it is only by the power of Christ that the man is set free from the evil spirit. We can see that in both of these cases following the spirit of the world is not what will lead us towards our destination of holiness and heaven, but rather will lead us away from our true calling.

What we need, and what each of us should be seeking is the Spirit of God. St. Paul tells us that it is only by the spirit that we can know God: "no one knows what pertains to God except the Spirit of God." But by receiving His Spirit, it is not only the way to know God better, but also to understand our life and our purpose. St. Paul tells the Corinthians: "We have not received the spirit of the world but the Spirit that is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given us by God." God calls us each to be good stewards of this life, but how can we be good stewards of our gifts if we do not call upon the Creator to ask what we are to do? The reality is that as humans we do not have all the answers, but God does; and that is why He offers us His Spirit so that we can have the help that we so desperately need in this life.

Let us each pray that God sends His Spirit down on each of us every day to reveal how we can know Him and follow Him better in this life.

Come, Holy Spirit. Fill the hearts of your faithful and make the fire of your love burn within them. Send forth your Spirit and there shall be another creation. And you shall renew the face of the earth.
O God, you have instructed the hearts of the faithful by the light of the Holy Spirit. Grant that through the same Holy Spirit we may always be truly wise and rejoice in his consolation. Through Christ our Lord. Amen.