Men, what must I do to be saved?

As we draw closer to the solemnity of Pentecost, we read the wonderful actions of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the growing church. It is touching to see how Paul and Silas abandon themselves entirely to God without fear of the crowd or prison.

They are aware of the Holy Spirit’s presence as Christ promised. Paul is imprisoned, but he knows that his jailor is in a more dangerous prison of sin. The Spirit brings him to this physical prison to free him from the jailor, a spiritual prison of sin. Paul responds to the jailor’s question by calling him to believe in the Lord Jesus.

Today, many of us believe that we need to accept the working of the Spirit within us. Sometimes the Lord allows certain situations in our lives for the sake of his gospel. Sometimes, the Lord wants to use us to get one or two souls back to him. May you welcome this different moment with joy and ask the Lord to take control, just as he did with Paul and Silas, leading them to prison and finally bringing them home with a new soul.

He calls us to trust and abandon ourselves entirely to his care. Let us renew our faith in the Holy Spirit and know that the Spirit has never left his church. May that Spirit strengthen us more in our everyday undertakings and vocations.

Let us pray:

O God, who instructed the hearts of thy faithful by the light of your Holy Spirit, grant us in the same Spirit that we may be truly wise and ever to rejoice in his consolation through Christ our Lord. Amen.