Filled with the Holy Spirit

Prayer for the Day

Spirit of wisdom and understanding, enlighten our minds to perceive the mysteries of the universe in relation to eternity. Spirit of right judgment and courage, guide us and make us firm in our baptismal decision to follow Jesus' way of love. Spirit of knowledge and reverence, help us to see the lasting value of justice and mercy in our everyday dealings with one another. May we respect life as we work to solve problems of family and nation, economy and ecology. Spirit of God, spark our faith, hope and love into new action each day. Fill our lives with wonder and awe in your presence which penetrates all creation. Amen.

Reflection

After my blog about my encounter with (now Blessed) Pope John Paul II the other day, Mom told me that what she remembered about that day was that I was "filled with the Holy Spirit".   Now here we are reading about the Apostles and other disciples of Christ who were truly filled with the Spirit in the first days of the early Church.

For obvious reasons, I have a real interest in the account of Stephen in the book of Acts.  I have chosen him to be the Patron Saint of this blog and I have often asked for his intercession when I have felt that my faith needed a “pick-me-up”.   There are so many ways to reflect on his story, as found in Acts 7:51 and following;

"But Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God."

He was filled with the Holy Spirit.  Can you imagine being so full of the Holy Spirit that there is no more room for fears or doubts or malice or more importantly, temptation and sin?  No wonder he was able to summon the same courage to ask God to forgive his tormentors in an echo of what Jesus did on Good Friday!  (Luke23:34)  “Then he fell to his knees and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’.”

Reading the passage further, and I could be wrong, but it seems in all other references throughout the Bible (and in the Creed), Jesus is "sitting" and not standing at the right hand of the Father.

So why was Jesus standing there when Stephen saw Him? Perhaps Jesus was standing to welcome His first martyr into His glory. Maybe He was standing so as to encourage Stephen in his speech to the unbelievers.  Could it be He was standing to give Stephen strength in the death he was soon to suffer?  Regardless of why the He was standing, we know that He was there waiting for His faithful servant who gave all he had in the service of his Lord.