the spirit or darkness?
"Father, Lord of heaven and earth, to You I offer praise; for what You have hidden from the learned and the clever You have revealed to the merest children." —Matthew 11:25
Jesus rejoiced that His Father had hidden certain things "from the learned and the clever." This does not mean that learning, that is, education, is useless or harmful, but that it is limited. God's revelation transcends the human mind. Therefore, "trust in the Lord with all your heart, on your own intelligence rely not" (Prv 3:5).
Only by the Holy Spirit can we know "what lies at the depths of God" (1 Cor 2:11). Without the movement of the Holy Spirit, the most intelligent and educated people in the world are doomed to ignorance and even confusion, self-deception, and darkness. Therefore, we must cry out for the Holy Spirit to instruct us in everything, remind us of all that Jesus told us (Jn 14:26), and guide us to all truth (Jn 16:13), especially as He speaks through the teachings of the Church and her Bible. The Spirit will not only put ideas in our heads but words in our mouths (see Mt 10:20; 1 Cor 2:13). In the Spirit, we will hear the tiny, whispering sound of the Father's voice (see 1 Kgs 19:12). "A voice shall sound in your ears: 'This is the way; walk in it,' when you would turn to the right or to the left" (Is 30:21).
Repent of your sins, go to Confession, give your life to Jesus. Ask for a renewal of your Confirmation (see 2 Tm 1:6-7). Receive the Holy Spirit and God's revelation. Receive truth and light.
Prayer: Father, I accept Your grace to stifle my carnal desires and be stirred up in the Spirit (see Gal 5:17).
Promise: "Judgment shall again be with justice, and all the upright of heart shall follow it." —Ps 94:15
Praise: The Carmelites purchased a seminary and prayed fervently for vocations. When enrollments dried up, they were forced to sell it to a Protestant group who used the building as a seminary. This seminary has produced over fifty Protestant ministers who have since converted to Catholicism.
Rescript: †Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, January 4, 2008
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