Daily Meditation - Wednesday 18June 2008 - MAKING A FULL AND ACTIVE INVESTMENT IN THE GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

[BarbaraTherese]

Mass Readings and Meditation

Readings

Meditation

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

2 Kings 2:1,6-14

The story of Elijah and Elisha
** may sound **
very familiar

• Before he is taken up to heaven, Elijah promises to give Elisha his spirit.
• As a flaming chariot comes to take him away,
• Elijah passes his mantle on to Elisha,
• who then goes on to do Elijah’s work.

Familiar, yes, but there’s another angle to this story beyond the “historical” one.

• Think about Jesus ascending to heaven.
• Like Elijah, he left disciples to carry on his work.
• And like Elijah, he left a “mantle” for his followers: his Holy Spirit!
  So what is a mantle, and what does it do?
• A mantle is a long-sleeved coat worn over an outer garment.
• It protects travelers in the desert from the heat of the sun and the chill of the night wind,
• and also from the sand that can blow in their eyes and blind them.
• It’s an indispensable item for anyone in that environment,
• and it allows them to go places they could not go otherwise.
  So to continue the analogy, we can see that Jesus gives us his mantle, the Spirit, to protect us, to lead us, and to help us do things we could never do by ourselves.
• With his power, there is nothing we can’t accomplish!
• Can there be anything more exciting than knowing that we have been anointed to be Jesus’ hands and feet in this world?
• He has promised us that “Whoever believes in me will do the works that I do, and will do greater ones than these” (John 14:12).

Before Elijah went to heaven he told Elisha, “Ask for whatever I may do for you, before I am taken from you” (2 Kings 2:9).

• Jesus makes the same offer to us
• “If you ask anything of me in my name, I will do it” (John 14:14).
• What are your needs right now?
• Do you know someone who is sick?
• Have you been praying for someone’s conversion?

You already have the tools you need to help them.

The Holy Spirit is within you: Take a step of faith, and humbly ask him to work in these situations.
Put your trust in him, and you will see miracles happen!

“Lord, thank you for the awesome gift of your Holy Spirit.
May I never take him for granted
but rely on his mighty power in every circumstance.”