The Missionary Decade. Day Five — “Where to look for truth?”

Tuesday, May 14

A reading of the Holy Gospel according to John 16:2–13

“They will put you out of the synagogues. Indeed, the hour is coming when whoever kills you will think he is offering service to God. And they will do these things because they have not known the Father, nor me. But I have said these things to you, that when their hour comes you may remember that I told them to you…” “Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you…” “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come.”

Reflections on the fifth day of the Decade. Jesus Christ sent the Comforter, who teaches and educates new generations of Christians. Through the Holy Spirit, a person has the opportunity throughout his life to learn more deeply the truths of the holy faith. These truths are transmitted in the Holy Scriptures, which were created for centuries under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and given to man to know God, himself and the world. God’s truths are transmitted in the texts of our Divine Services, in the writings of the Church Fathers, in the decisions of the Ecumenical Councils, and in other manifestations of the Magisterial Government of the Church. In the Catechism of the UGCC “Christ is our Passover” everything is very well collected that every believer should know. To know God’s truths, a bright light is needed, and this light is the Spirit — a burning fire (Mt. 3, 11; Dan. 7, 9). At the Liturgy we sing: “we have seen the light of truth, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found true faith…”. But to the light we must add our efforts: to cultivate openness to God’s truth, to constantly seek that truth, to read the Holy Scriptures daily, to enrich our knowledge with good Christian books and studies. God’s truth requires our personal sacrifice and our willingness to share it with others, remembering that the goal of our life is always union with the living Christ, the incarnate Word of God.

Reflections in time of war. When the air raid alarm sounds, we run to the shelters and wait for this dark hour to pass. We look into various social media groups or other means of communication to find out what awaits us in the next few minutes. We understand that innocent people, adults, women and their children can die or do die in these moments. And once again hatred and curses creep into our hearts. When Jesus says in today’s Gospel: “the time will come when everyone who kills you will think that he is serving God”, then these words are like a Russian invader who thought that he was doing good, but in fact “no Father, neither did they know me (Christ)” (John 16, 2–3). But let’s try to open the pages of the Holy Scriptures or the Catechism or another good Christian book during times of air anxiety or even in times of peace. Let’s learn to pray fervently during bombings. Let’s learn to shift our attention from malice and hatred to the thought of what I can do to help save the life of my neighbor. Paradoxically, we do not experience healing when we focus on ourselves, but when we open ourselves to the action and leading of the Holy Spirit. And this Spirit is the spirit of creation, healing and service. He directs us to bring compassionate and merciful love and concrete help to our neighbors. Our Lord said about this evangelical paradox: “Whoever saves his life will lose it; and whoever loses his life for Me will find it” (Mt. 10, 39). To lose one’s life for Christ means to dedicate it to the service of one’s neighbors, in particular, soldiers, volunteers, relatives, as well as in a special way those whom the Lord calls his “least of brothers” and says that everything we did to one of them, we did to Him (cf. Mt. 25, 40). Therefore, in serving one’s neighbor in love, a person “finds his life”, returns to the greatest truth about himself as a beloved child of God, created out of love and called to justice and love.

Prayer intention: We pray that our parish will be a place where everyone can serve with their talents and gifts.

Prayer. May our mouths be filled with Your praise, O Lord, that we may sing of Your glory. For You made us worthy to partake of Your holy divine, immortal and life-giving Mysteries. Preserve us in Your holiness that we may meditate all the day upon Your justice. Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

Mission task: Try to find at least ten minutes for yourself today to be in silence. Listen to how your heart beats, how you breathe. In this moment, the Lord wraps you in His arms of love in a special way.

See also

May 19 The Missionary Decade. Day Ten — Sunday of Pentecost — “Our mission: to carry the Holy Spirit to others” May 18 The Missionary Decade. Day Nine — “Tend my sheep” May 17 The Missionary Decade. Day Eight — “Christian family is a domestic Church”