The Advocate Is With You 

May 15, 2012

Tuesday of the Sixth Week of Easter

By Beth DeCristofaro

About midnight, while Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God as the prisoners listened, there was suddenly such a severe earthquake that the foundations of the jail shook; all the doors flew open, and the chains of all were pulled loose.  When the jailer woke up and saw the prison doors wide open, he drew his sword and was about to kill himself, thinking that the prisoners had escaped.  But Paul shouted out in a loud voice, "Do no harm to yourself; we are all here."  …  He brought them up into his house and provided a meal and with his household rejoiced at having come to faith in God. (Acts 16:25-28, 34)

(Jesus said to them) But I tell you the truth, it is better for you that I go.  For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. (John 16:7)

Piety

Now I say to you in conclusion, life is hard,
at times as hard as crucible steel.
It has its bleak and difficult moments.
Like the ever-flowing waters of the river,
life has its moments of drought and its moments of flood.
Like the ever-changing cycle of the seasons,
life has the soothing warmth of its summers
and the piercing chill of its winters.
But if one will hold on,
he will discover that God walks with him,
and that God is able to lift you from the fatigue of despair
to the buoyancy of hope and transform dark and desolate valleys
into sunlit paths of inner peace.

(Eulogy for the Martyred Children - Martin Luther King Jr. – 1963)

Study

Today, as I write this, it is Mother’s Day.   It is a holiday to say thanks to moms and even though commercial, it is one of my favorite being a day for flowers and spending time with family. My own mom is one of the most generous and energetic people I know, modeling for me that basic to her Catholic faith to help those in need.  Mom volunteered even while raising us six kids and working part time.  One of her long-time commitments was to drive a little girl to chemotherapy.  Mom got personally involved in most of what she did.  She cried long and hard when the little one died.  Now, as we look forward to Father’s Day, let me say that my dad gave me the desire for spiritual growth as he read works of theologians and Fathers of the church, debating them with questioning and impatient me.  Thanks to you both for these gifts and such a strong foundation, Mom and Dad.

In the story from Acts, a story of mystery, power and mercy, we have God delivering Paul and friends from danger yet Paul choosing to remain in danger undoubtedly because he knew that God wanted more from him than a fast get away.  Paul knew God was always there for him and that he had a task to accomplish.  You can be sure that I would have bolted up those prison steps.  Paul not only knew that the jailer’s life was important but that he could bring the jailer to Jesus – give him not only his life but life eternal if he, Paul, stayed to speak the Word.

Action

Say a prayer of thanks to someone who is/was a spiritual parent to you.  To whom have you given the time to as a “parent” to their spirit?