Msgr. Esseff reflects on the readings for the great feast of Pentecost  He discusses the  birth of our true identity, and in particular, what it means to be Christ in the world today.

From the NAB

ROM 8:8-17

Brothers and sisters:
Those who are in the flesh cannot please God.
But you are not in the flesh;
on the contrary, you are in the spirit,
if only the Spirit of God dwells in you.
Whoever does not have the Spirit of Christ does not belong to him.
But if Christ is in you,
although the body is dead because of sin,
the spirit is alive because of righteousness.
If the Spirit of the one who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you,
the one who raised Christ from the dead
will give life to your mortal bodies also,
through his Spirit that dwells in you.
Consequently, brothers and sisters,
we are not debtors to the flesh,
to live according to the flesh.
For if you live according to the flesh, you will die,
but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body,
you will live.

For those who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.
For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear,
but you received a Spirit of adoption,
through whom we cry, “Abba, Father!”
The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit
that we are children of God,
and if children, then heirs,
heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ,
if only we suffer with him
so that we may also be glorified with him.

Msgr. John A. Esseff is a Roman Catholic priest in the Diocese of Scranton.  He was ordained on May 30th 1953, by the late Bishop William J. Hafey, D.D. at St. Peter’s Cathedral in Scranton, PA.  Msgr. Esseff served a retreat director and confessor to Blessed Mother Teresa.    He continues to offer direction and retreats for the sisters of the missionaries of charity around the world.  Msgr. Esseff encountered St.  Padre Pio,  who would become a spiritual father to him.  He has lived in areas around the world,  serving  in the Pontifical missions, a Catholic organization established by Bl. Pope John Paul II to bring the Good News to the world especially to the poor.  Msgr. Esseff assisted the founders of the Institute for Priestly Formation and continues to serve as a spiritual director for the Institute.  He continues to  serve as a retreat leader and director to bishops, priests and sisters and seminarians and other religious leaders around the world.   

To obtain a copy of Msgr. Esseff’s book by visiting here

Be sure to visit Msgr. Esseff’s website “Building a Kingdom of  Love”

1 Corinthians 13

AMAZING GRACE

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me….
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

T’was Grace that taught…
my heart to fear.
And Grace, my fears relieved.
How precious did that Grace appear…
the hour I first believed.

Through many dangers, toils and snares…
we have already come.
T’was Grace that brought us safe thus far…
and Grace will lead us home.

The Lord has promised good to me…
His word my hope secures.
He will my shield and portion be…
as long as life endures.

When we’ve been here ten thousand years…
bright shining as the sun.
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise…
then when we’ve first begun.

Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound,
That saved a wretch like me….
I once was lost but now am found,
Was blind, but now, I see.

A special gift of the Holy Spirit; if perfects the virtue of religion, which is the practice of justice toward God. It produces an instinctive filial affection for God and devotion toward those who are specially consecrated to God. As an infused gift of God, it is ready loyalty to God and the things of God, arising not so much from studied effort or acquired habit as from a supernatural communication conferred by the Holy Spirit.

This gift enables a person to see in God not only one’s sovereign Master but a loving Father, according to the teaching of St. Paul: “Everyone moved by the Spirit is a son of God. The spirit you received is not the spirit of slaves bringing fear into your lives again; it is the spirit of sons, and it makes us cry out ‘Abba, Father!’” (Romans 8:14-15). It engenders in the soul a filial respect for God, a generous love toward him, and an affectionate obedience that wants to do what he commands because it loves the one who commands.

from Fr. John Hardon’s Modern Catholic Dictionary, © Eternal Life.

The Betrayal and Arrest of Jesus.47^x While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests and the elders of the people.48His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying, “The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him.”49Immediately he went over to Jesus and said, “Hail, Rabbi!”^* and he kissed him.50Jesus answered him, “Friend, do what you have come for.” Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him.51And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear.52Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.53Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels?54But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?”55^* At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me.56^y But all this has come to pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled.” Then all the disciples left him and fled.

Psalm 49 from NAB

2Hear this, all you peoples!

Give ear, all who inhabit the world,

3You of lowly birth or high estate,

rich and poor together.

4My mouth shall speak words of wisdom,

my heart shall offer insights.^a

5I will turn my ear to a riddle,^*

expound my question on a lyre.

I

6Why should I fear in evil days,

with the iniquity of my assailants surrounding me,

7Of those who trust in their wealth

and boast of their abundant riches?^b

8^*No man can ransom even a brother,

or pay to God his own ransom.^c

9The redemption of his soul is costly;

and he will pass away forever.

10Will he live on forever, then,

and never see the Pit of Corruption?

11Indeed, he will see that the wise die,

and the fool will perish together with the senseless,^d

and they leave their wealth to others.^e

12Their tombs are their homes forever,

their dwellings through all generations,

“They named countries after themselves”

13—but man does not abide in splendor.

He is like the beasts—they perish.^f

II

14This is the way of those who trust in themselves,

and the end of those who take pleasure in their own mouth.

Selah

15Like a herd of sheep they will be put into Sheol,

and Death will shepherd them.

Straight to the grave they descend,

where their form will waste away,

Sheol will be their palace.

16But God will redeem my life,

will take me^* from the hand of Sheol.^g

Selah

17Do not fear when a man becomes rich,

when the wealth of his house grows great.

18At his death he will not take along anything,

his glory will not go down after him.^h

19During his life his soul uttered blessings;

“They will praise you, for you do well for yourself.”

20But he will join the company of his fathers,

never again to see the light.ⁱ

21In his prime, man does not understand.

He is like the beasts—they perish.

From the Catechism of the Catholic Church:

III. THE GIFTS AND FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT

1830 The moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.

1831 The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord. They belong in their fullness to Christ, Son of David.¹⁰⁹ They complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them. They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations.

Let your good spirit lead me on a level path.¹¹⁰For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God . . . If children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ.¹¹¹

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The Coming of the Spirit.1^* When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together.^a2And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind,^* and it filled the entire house in which they were.^b3Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,^* which parted and came to rest on each one of them.^c4And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues,^* as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.

Reading 1 ACTS 1:1-11

Reading 1  ACTS 15:7-21