April Walk & Pray Session

Our last walk has been in Cartmel and our group of nine were walking up the hill to have a stunning view towards the Fells in the Lake and Morecambe Bay. The theme of the walk focused around the Holy Spirit and we reflected on several aspects of the Sunday's Mass Reading.

Acts 8:5-8, 14-17
 Philip went down to the city of Samaria 
and proclaimed the Messiah to them. 
The crowds with one accord listened eagerly 
to what was said by Philip, 
hearing and seeing the signs that he did, 
for unclean spirits, crying with loud shrieks, 
came out of many who were possessed; 
and many others who were paralyzed or lame were cured. 
So there was great joy in that city. 
Now when the apostles at Jerusalem heard 
that Samaria had accepted the word of God, 
they sent Peter and John to them. 
The two went down and prayed for them 
that they might receive the Holy Spirit
(for as yet the Spirit had not come upon any of them; 
they had only been baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus). 
Then Peter and John laid their hands on them, 
and they received the Holy Spirit.
In today’s reading, Jesus’ promise about the spread of the gospel finds partial fulfillment. Luke describes Philip as a man graced with the gift of evangelism, whose message was accompanied with “signs” of power and healing.


Who did speak in your life that brought the message of Christ alive? Or do you have any encounters where you brought Christ’s message to someone?

1 Peter 3:15-18 
Beloved:
In your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. 
Always be ready to make your defense 
to anyone who demands from you 
an accounting for the hope that is in you; 
yet do it with gentleness and reverence. 
Keep your conscience clear, 
so that, when you are maligned, 
those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ 
may be put to shame. 
For it is better to suffer for doing good, 
if suffering should be God’s will, 
than to suffer for doing evil. 
For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, 
the righteous for the unrighteous, 
in order to bring you to God. 
He was put to death in the flesh, 
but made alive in the spirit.
Today’s reading continues the practical counsels on how Christians should relate to those outside the community. Peter recognizes that those who follow Christ often encounter painful trials. Christians are to give an explanation, possibly before formal tribunals but more likely in day-to-day interactions with hostile neighbors, for the hope that characterizes their attitude both in the present and toward the future.

Do you know any example from your life or from others who have suffered because they followed Christ? Or Christians that are treated with hostility or even discriminated? How did they respond? How did you feel about it?

John 14:15-21
 Jesus said to his disciples:
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 
And I will ask the Father, 
and he will give you another Advocate, 
to be with you forever. 
This is the Spirit of truth, 
whom the world cannot receive, 
because it neither sees him nor knows him. 
You know him, because he abides with you, 
and he will be in you. 
“I will not leave you orphaned; 
I am coming to you. 
In a little while the world will no longer see me, 
but you will see me; 
because I live, you also will live. 
On that day you will know that I am in my Father, 
and you in me, 
and I in you. 
They who have my commandments and keep them 
are those who love me; 
and those who love me will be loved by my Father, 
and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”
Instead of relying on the physical presence of Christ, we can draw on his spiritual presence, a divine indwelling. The promise comes to fruition: “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you” (John 15:18). After the dark night of crucifixion, we know the truth of Frederick Buechner’s saying: “Morning will come at last, and with it the word you wait for will be spoken at last: the word you hope for, long for, until you can all but hear it already, which is the word, of course, that gives you back your life again.”
 Quietly consider: 
Advocate, Counselor, Helper...you are in me and with me...

With today’s reading in mind, how do you think the Holy Spirit is present in your life? A counselor? Jesus voice? How do you feel about Jesus saying, “ I will not leave you orphaned”.