Gospel Reflection For The 13th day of May in the year of Our Lord, 2024

Gospel

John 16:29-33

29 His disciples say to him: Behold, now thou speakest plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now we know that thou knowest all things, and thou needest not that any man should ask thee. By this we believe that thou camest forth from God.

31 Jesus answered them: Do you now believe? 32 Behold, the hour cometh, and it is now come, that you shall be scattered every man to his own, and shall leave me alone; and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you shall have distress: but have confidence, I have overcome the world.

Today’s first reading is from Acts; it is a poignant example of why one needs the Holy Catholic Church and her Sacraments. “Faith alone”, the foundational protest of Protestantism, is not enough. Today we read of those who believed in our Lord, who were even called disciples, but who had not received the Holy Spirit because they had not received Christian Baptism and Confirmation:

1 And it came to pass, while Apollo was at Corinth, that Paul having passed through the upper coasts, came to Ephesus, and found certain disciples. 2 And he said to them: Have you received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? But they said to him: We have not so much as heard whether there be a Holy Ghost. 3 And he said: In what then were you baptized? Who said: In John's baptism. 4 Then Paul said: John baptized the people with the baptism of penance, saying: That they should believe in him who was to come after him, that is to say, in Jesus. 5 Having heard these things, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus.

6 And when Paul had imposed his hands on them, the Holy Ghost came upon them, and they spoke with tongues and prophesied. 7 And all the men were about twelve. 8 And entering into the synagogue, he spoke boldly for the space of three months, disputing and exhorting concerning the kingdom of God.

Our Protestant brothers and sisters who insist on “the Bible Alone” as the sole authority somehow miss the point when the Bible tells them of the Holy Sacraments of the Catholic Church. As you may have assumed from the entries of the last two days, I am disturbed by news that a prominent Catholic political pundit has abandoned the faith of His family and has converted to Protestantism. He says that he did so because he “feels the Spirit” in a Protestant Church. How sad. The Holy Spirit is more present and powerful in even the Holy Water by the door of a Catholic Church than in any Protestant Church. He will not find what he seeks outside of Catholicism. I can only pray for him.

But, as Pope Saint John Paul II always reminded us, quoting the scriptures, “Be not afraid!” Our Lord tells us today, “Behold, the hour is coming and has arrived when each of you will be scattered to his own home and you will leave me alone. But I am not alone, because the Father is with me. I have told you this so that you might have peace in me. In the world you will have trouble, but take courage, I have conquered the world.”

Judson Carroll is the author of several books, including his newest, A Daily Catholic Devotional, Reflections on the Daily Mass Readings July-December, 2024 It is Available in paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0D3ZTXQB4

and

Confirmation, an Autobiography of Faith. It is also Available in paperback on Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C47Q1JNK

His new podcast is The Uncensored Catholic https://www.spreaker.com/show/the-uncensored-catholic