1^st Reading:  Acts 16:11-15

…As she listened, the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.  After she had been baptized, together with her household, she invited us to her house, “If you think I am faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my house.”  And she persuaded us to accept her invitation.

Reflection:

The scriptures said, “As she listened, the Lord opened her heart to respond to what Paul was saying.” The woman listened and the Lord opened her heart, hence she responded to what Paul was saying.  In our life, we should listen more in order to have an open heart.

I read that God gave us two ears and one mouth so we could listen more and speak less.  In an argument between a  husband and a wife, the couple would  fail to understand each other if they will refuse to listen first; in a parent and child relationship, if both refuses to listen, conflicts will arise.  The funny thing is, they blame it on the generation gap.  Generation gap is not about age and time, it’s the failure to listen.

Same goes with our relationship with God.  How on earth can we have an open mind and heart to respond to God’s call if we could not even perform the single task that is expected of us – To Listen.

Listening entails putting a deaf ear to the world’s demand and giving full and undivided attention to God’s words and instruction.  Tune in to God.

Gospel:  Jn 15:26-14:4a

Jesus said to his disciples, “From the Father, I will send you the Spirit of truth.  When this Helper has come from the Father, he will be my witness, and you, too, will be my witness, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

Knowing the truth, honesty, integrity – these are not to be taken lightly.  If someone could not be trusted with small things, he is not fit to be trusted with greater things.

Just a few days ago, I failed in this test of integrity.  I felt guilty about something I did that may be dismissed as harmless and fun but my conscience kept bothering me.

A close kin of mine told me how difficult it is to be mature.  Indeed, it is because you have to consider every words and action that comes out.  Consider maturity as the light at the end of the tunnel.  Right after you got out of the tunnel, you never wanted to be there again.  You have seen the light and what seems fun and harmless before, now becomes a matter of true consequence.

Hypocrisy is what becomes of someone who speaks the truth but fails in deed.  I now ask the Holy Spirit – the spirit of truth, to be with me not just in big decisions but even in my daily dealings, so I may pass the test of honesty and integrity.  I wanted to be trusted with greater things but I need to be trusted with menial task first.