Daily Meditation - Monday 28July 2008 - GROWTH IN THE HOLY SPIRIT

[BarbaraTherese]

Mass Readings & Meditation
Readings

Meditation

Matthew 13:31-35

Bread goes through some remarkable
** stages as it mixes**
** with yeast.**

• At first, the lump of raw, gooey flour and water looks thoroughly lifeless.
• But under the right conditions,
• this lump seems to lift itself up,
• bulging outward until it is ready to be baked. And then, in the baking process, it rises even more,
• until it has reached a perfect combination of crust and soft, airy bread inside.

Ever the master preacher, Jesus used this familiar process to describe how God can reveal himself.

• Just as bread begins as a lifeless lump, it can be said that we are lifeless before our baptism.
• It’s as we receive the Holy Spirit that we begin to “rise,”
• sometimes imperceptibly,
• and undergo a process of transformation.

The Holy Spirit—like yeast in dough—expands our hearts so that we can receive the good news of the kingdom.

• He enlivens our prayer and Scripture reading,
• so that we learn how to live as children of our new king.
• He inspires acts of faith and obedience, so that we can accelerate the process.
  How can we tell that the Spirit is at work within us?
• By checking our hearts.
• The clearest sign of his presence comes when we begin to appreciate our citizenship and enjoy our new ruler
• —when we are no longer simply following a list of commandments and laws
• but responding in love to the One who has loved us.

We can tell when we begin to look at our parish community as the place where we can grow closer to Jesus, not just a matter of geography or convenience.

• Look to the Spirit to work within you to raise you up to fresh awareness of his kingdom.
• Even trials and sufferings can lead to growth
• as we yield to the power of the Spirit.
• Maybe you know this from experience.
• But you also know that there is always more.

There may be areas in your life where you still feel like a gooey mass of raw dough,
but through prayer and the “yeast” of the Holy Spirit, you can trust that even greater transformation is on the way!

“Holy Spirit, your power is never ending.
Come and lift me up today as you reveal the Father’s kingdom to me.”