The Fruit of Conviction

4/5/2021

A Reflection on the First Reading for May 9th, 2021:
Sixth Sunday of Easter

Acts
10.25-26, 34-35, 44-48

On Peter’s arrival, Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian cohort, met him, and falling at his feet, worshipped him. But Peter made him get up, saying, “Stand up; I am only a man.”

Then Peter began to speak, “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.”

While Peter was still speaking, the Holy Spirit fell upon all who heard the word. The circumcised believers who had come with Peter were astounded that the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out even on the Gentiles, for they heard them speaking in tongues and extolling God.

Then Peter said, “Can anyone withhold the water for baptizing these people who have received the Holy Spirit just as we have?” So he ordered them to be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ. Then they invited him to stay for several days.

Pause. Pray.

And then read more...

The Holy Spirit: The third person of the ineffable Holy Trinity in whom we know the love of the Father through the Son. He was poured out on all who were present in the days when Peter spoke to the Gentiles, and poured out on all of us who would receive Him, from those days until these days. Our days.

Perhaps the Holy Spirit travelled so closely with Peter in those days of Acts because of Peter’s proximity to Jesus; because of his actual physical experience of the man, Jesus, who walked and talked and breathed and died alongside him. Peter’s conviction and trust in God was strong because of what he witnessed in Jesus, and the fruit of that conviction continues to be born in this world even now.

I know that when my prayer life is such that I have a consistent and tangible daily experience of actively seeking God, the Holy Spirit travels more closely with me; I am more aware of His presence and so are those around me. The Holy Spirit guides me into compassion for others and for myself; I feel His presence when laughter bubbles up, or tears spring to my eyes. This is the voice of God. I can, however, get caught up in this emotion, in my empathy; sadness, happiness, fear, or anger. The emotion is important, but also necessary to discern, because emotion can lead me down paths of pride and defensiveness, which can get tangled in the emotions of others.

Thankfully, however, the Holy Spirit also guides me into God’s wisdom, into comfort and into my giftedness — helping to prepare me, helping me to discern when and where to enter into the fray, and consoling me when my efforts fail. Despite my failures to consistently listen and find the courage to obey, I am encouraged to see the fruits of my conviction are slowly ripening in my personal and professional life as I do my best to listen and obey God.

Thank you, Lord, for the gift of Your Holy Spirit!

Let us pray: Lord God, send Your Holy Spirit to travel as closely with us as You did with Saint Peter. May we feel Your presence, and may the fruit we bear as a result contribute to the faith, hope, and love of others in the building up of Your kingdom on Earth. Amen.

Lindsay Elford

8 Comments

Alana

4/5/2021 07:08:31 am

Amen! Thank you for this beautiful reminder dear friend that “the Holy Spirit guides me”. May we all rest secure in the knowledge of that this week and always. Amen! 😊🙏🏻💕xo

Lindsay

4/5/2021 07:46:47 am

May the Holy Spirit go with you today, Alana! ❤️

Suzanne LeBlanc

4/5/2021 08:30:04 am

Amen, Lyndsay! Thanks for your sharing these thoughts.

9/5/2021 07:29:16 pm

Suzanne, thank you for reading! God bless you :)

Lisa Matheson

8/5/2021 07:34:59 am

This part struck me Lindsay:
“..the Holy Spirit also guides me into God’s wisdom, into comfort and into my giftedness — helping to prepare me, helping me to discern when and where to enter into the fray, and consoling me when my efforts fail.”
In my case, my efforts fail often. But there is always a lesson. The fruits (or lack there of) tell me something each time. And as you said, He is always there consoling me. I think I will be learning these lessons for a lifetime. I’m so grateful that He will never leave me. 🙏❤️

9/5/2021 07:32:08 pm

Oh yes, Lisa - you're right - it's a constant process of learning and thank God He is so patient!! Amen - He will never leave. What a consolation in and of itself.

Lori

8/5/2021 10:04:33 am

Actively seeking God leads to courage by the conviction of the Holy Spirit. Sorry for the crude summary, but as I roll that around in my heart, I think of all the ways He presents Himself to me that I actively ignore. I join my prayer to yours today, sister, that we would bear the fruit of conviction that Saint Peter, and so many saints after him so beautifully did. Saint Peter, pray for us!

9/5/2021 07:34:36 pm

Oh yes, Lori...so many missed opportunities I can think of in my life. So thankful He is the God of many more chances and with the help of Saint Peter's prayers, may we be so convicted!!