By Fr. Roy Cimagala
THE secret is simply to follow what Christ tells us. He is always around and is eager to help us especially in our needs and helplessness. This we can gather from that gospel episode about the third appearance of the resurrected Christ to his disciples. (cfr. Jn 21,1-14)
As the gospel narrated, Peter and some companions went out fishing but caught nothing. Then from the shore, they heard someone telling them if they had caught some fish. When they responded, no, this person told them to cast their nets over the right side of the boat. And behold, they caught a huge number of fish. That’s when one of them recognized that it was Christ who told them where to cast their nets.
It’s clear that Christ always takes care of his disciples. If we, as disciples of Christ also, would find ourselves in some difficult or helpless situation, let’s make an effort, through our prayers, what Christ would be telling us, because for sure, he will give us a way out of our predicaments.
It may involve sacrifices. But to be sure, if our faith in Christ is strong and abiding, we would know that help, perhaps in some mysterious ways, would always be granted us. It would be a help that would go beyond our wildest expectations, since it can tackle even the worst of our predicaments which is death.
We have to learn to listen to the voice of Christ through the Holy Spirit. He is actually intervening in our life all the time, prompting us about what to think, desire, speak and do. Failing to listen to Christ’s voice in an abiding way undermines our being disciples of his
Christ himself said it very clearly. “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” (Jn 14,26)
We have to understand that the Holy Spirit perpetuates the presence and redemptive action of Christ all throughout time, with all the drama, vagaries, ups and downs that we men make in our earthly sojourn.
It has been prophesied that God will pour out his Spirit upon all men. The Holy Spirit is intended for all of us. We are all meant to be filled with the Holy Spirit. But this divine will obviously has to contend with the way we receive and do things, and that is, that we take to this reality in stages involving a whole range of human means of teaching, evangelizing, etc.
We need the Holy Spirit because only in him can we truly recognize Christ. Only in him will we be able to have Christ in our life, to remember all his words and even to develop them to adapt them to our current needs and situations.
Only in him can we see things properly. Especially these days when truth, justice and charity have become very slippery, and people are left confounded and vulnerable to fall into scepticism and cynicism, we need to be in the Holy Spirit to be able to sort things out properly and avoid the mess.
I am amused to note that in today’s political debates, a growing awareness is felt by more and more people that myths and lies, with shreds of truths and facts cleverly inserted, are exchanged. They talk about a surge of fake news. It’s not anymore about what the truth is. It’s more about who is followed more.
This is what happens when we are not in the Holy Spirit and we rely only on our human resources that sooner or later will be twisted and exploited to suit personal or partisan interests, and not anymore the common good.
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