![]() The Spirit, at every crossroads in our lives, suggests to us the best path to follow. We see this in the second reading, where Saint Paul explains that those "led by the Spirit of God" (Rom 8:14) "walk not according to the flesh but according to the Spirit" (v. In addition to reminding us where to begin, the Spirit teaches us what paths to take. He teaches us to accept one another, to forgive one another and to forgive ourselves he teaches us to be reconciled with the past. How? By putting at the top of the list the thing that really matters: the memory of God's love, his loving gaze. How many of them, and so much guilt! Left to themselves, they had no way out. They had deserted Jesus before the Passion Peter had denied him Paul had persecuted Christians. That is what he did with the apostles and their failures. He teaches us not to harbor the memory of all those people and situations that have hurt us, but to let him purify those memories by his presence. Because he, the Consoler, is the Spirit of healing, of resurrection, who can transform the hurts burning within you. You, however, may well object: these are nice words, but I have problems, hurts and worries that cannot be removed by facile words of comfort! Yet that is precisely where the Holy Spirit asks you to let him in. You may forget about God, but he does not forget about you. Even when you lose confidence in yourself, God has confidence in you!" This is the "memory" of the Spirit, what the Spirit constantly reminds us: God knows you. You are a unique, elect, precious and beloved child. He reminds us: "Have you fallen? You are a son or daughter of God. Yet the Holy Spirit tells us something completely different. You will never succeed you cannot do it." This is a terrible thing to be told. We always remember the things that go wrong we listen to the voice within us that reminds us of our failures and failings, the voice that keeps saying: "Look, yet another failure, yet another disappointment. It is essential to cherish this spiritual memory. We have experienced his presence in the forgiveness of our sins, in moments when we are filled with his peace, his freedom and his consolation. The Holy Spirit is an active memory he constantly rekindles the love of God in our hearts. ![]() The Spirit himself reminds us of this, because he is the memory of God, the one who brings to our minds all that Jesus has said (cf. But if we do not begin from the Spirit, or with the Spirit or through the Spirit, we will get nowhere. He is the "motor" of our spiritual lives. ![]() The Spirit of love pours love into our hearts, he makes us feel loved and he teaches us how to love. He teaches us to love and we have to ask for this gift. And that love comes not so much from our abilities, but as his gift. Yet the Spirit reminds us that without love as our basis, all the rest is in vain. We tend to think that love comes from our keeping, our fidelity and our devotion. We tend to think the exact opposite: if we keep the commandments, we will love Jesus. What is it? Jesus speaks of it in the first verse of the Gospel, when he says: "If you love me, you will keep my commandments" (v. The Spirit points out to us the starting point of the spiritual life. I would put it this way: in the great journey of life, the Spirit teaches us where to begin, what paths to take, and how to walk.įirst, where to begin. The Spirit makes us see everything in a new way, with the eyes of Jesus. It is a question of quality, perspective, perception. "Everything," "all" - these words are striking they make us wonder: how does the Spirit give this new and full understanding to those who receive him? It is not about quantity, or an academic question: God does not want to make us encyclopedias or polymaths. He tells his disciples: "The Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all I have said to you (Jn 14:26). ![]() In the final words of the Gospel we have just heard, Jesus says something that can offer us hope and make us think.
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