Daily Catholic Lectio
Saturday, 21 October 2023
Saturday of the Twenty-Eighth Week of the Year
Romans 4:13,16-18. Luke 12:8-12
The Holy Spirit will teach!
“Obtaining the faith vision that nothing is impossible for God”
Jesus, after warning his disciples about the yeast of hypocrisy that might permeate the community, exhorts them ‘to fear God,’ and ‘not to fear men.’ In today’s gospel reading he puts forward the advantages of believing in the Son of Man, and the disadvantages of not believing in him.
It is commonly agreed that Luke composed his gospel around 85 BCE. After about fifty years of Jesus’ death and resurrection Luke wrote the gospel. The community of disciples suffered a lot after the death of Jesus, in the hands of the Jews and the Romans. They were either expelled from the synagogue or judged by the synagogue. Jesus foretold that these sufferings would fall on the disciples. Or Luke, on account of his witness in front of his eyes, puts these words in the mouth of Jesus. In this passage Jesus also gives a teaching on the Holy Spirit.
The gospel of Luke is called the Gospel of the Holy Spirit. Mary is conceived by the Holy Spirit (cf. Lk 1:35); Elizabeth, being filled with the Holy Spirit, greets Mary (cf. Lk 1:40). Simeon was accompanied by the Holy Spirit (cf. Lk 2:25). John the Baptist foretells that Jesus would baptize with the fire of the Holy Spirit (cf. Lk 3:16). The Holy Spirit descends on Jesus when he was baptized (cf. Lk 3:22). Later, Jesus is led by the Spirit to the wilderness (cf. Lk 4:1). In his Nazareth manifesto, Jesus proclaims. ‘the spirit of the Lord is upon me (cf. Lk 4:18). Later, in the Acts of the Apostles, the Holy Spirit is the protagonist of the story.
In today’s text we see the understanding of the Holy Spirit according to Luke. Jesus warns about the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit as unforgivable. And he further consoles us saying the Holy Spirit will teach us.
How do we understand the expression ‘blasphemy against the Holy Spirit’? Often it is interpreted as the hardness of heart, indifference, or negating the mercy of God. Today we shall understand it in a different way. When the Archangel Gabriel came to Mary he said, ‘You shall conceive by the power of the Holy Spirit.’ Later he tells, ‘nothing is impossible for God.’ The Holy Spirit not only teaches that nothing is impossible for God, but also makes sure that everything is accomplished in our life by God.
When we say that it is impossible for God to act, we blaspheme against the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit who accomplishes everything in us, accompanies us.
Three lessons for us:
(a) How do we accept and witness Jesus? Is our acceptance of Jesus a mere nominal acceptance during our baptism / confirmation? How do we transfer this belief to a witnessing life?
(b) Let us be assured that the Holy Spirit, the power of God, will make everything possible for us.
(c) ‘Do not be anxious or worried.’ Since we are worth more than the sparrows we need not be preoccupied with what we need to talk about. We need not be worried about our decision-making. Let us invoke the presence of the Holy Spirit at every moment of our life.
In the first reading Paul dissects the faith of Abraham saying, ‘Abraham hoped against hope.’ At the physical level it was not possible for Abraham to have children; but, he believed that God will fulfil his promise. He surrendered to God with childlike surrender. And he was justified in this faith.
God alone instructs us.
God alone fulfils the promises.
Nothing is impossible for God.
Fr. Yesu Karunanidhi
Archdiocese of Madurai
Missionary of Mercy
Yesu Karunanidhi 
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