Tuesday, April 26, 2022

 

Tuesday of the Second Week of Easter

 (Acts 4:32-37; John 3:7b-15)

 The idyllic scene described in today’s first reading makes some people despair.  “We could never have this kind of self-sacrifice in today’s world,” they say to themselves.  But the spirit of total sharing does not necessarily last long, even in the Acts of the Apostles.  The very next chapter narrates how a couple tried to deceive the community with their gift.

Today’s gospel suggests an explanation.  “The wind blows where it wills,” it says, “…but you do not know where it comes or where it goes.”  Like the wind, the Holy Spirit works in its own ways.  One cannot possess it so that it obeys one’s will.  Rather, it takes hold of the person who must strive to keep it.  Of course, it is worth the effort.

We become docile to the Holy Spirit when we keep away from people and things that can lead us awry.  One mother became alarmed that her daughter was starting to behave crudely.  Noticing that her new friends were a negative influence, the mother demanded that she not go out with them.  The girl obeyed, found new friends, and grew up responsible and caring.