Daily Gospel Reflection
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May 23, 2022
Jesus said to his disciples:
“When the Advocate comes whom I will send you from the Father,
the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father,
he will testify to me.
And you also testify,
because you have been with me from the beginning.
“I have told you this so that you may not fall away.
They will expel you from the synagogues;
in fact, the hour is coming when everyone who kills you
will think he is offering worship to God.
They will do this because they have not known either the Father or me.
I have told you this so that when their hour comes
you may remember that I told you.”
Jesus’ words to his disciples from today’s gospel explain the role of the Holy Spirit in our lives. This role became quite real to me in a puzzling way at first. It began several years ago when I would go to bed and wake up in the middle of the night with an urgent prayer on my lips: “Jesus, help me. God, help me.” I obediently prayed these words for months even though I was not going through anything that I considered troubling during that time.
Then, one night I received heartbreaking news that turned my life upside down. The reason for my nighttime prayers became clear: the Holy Spirit—that Advocate who comes from the Father—had been preparing me for the challenges that lie ahead.
My prayer immediately changed to, “God is my strength.” Because of the “Spirit of truth,” I was able to keep my heart open to God’s subtle guidance through some very challenging years, and I am forever grateful.
That sequence of events taught me to become more aware of the presence of the Holy Spirit working in my life and in the lives of others even when I may not perceive or understand fully in that moment. It enabled me to strengthen my faith in what could otherwise have been a faith-crumbling experience.
May we all keep our hearts open to follow where the Holy Spirit will lead, placing our trust in that Advocate who loves and cares for us so completely.
Prayer
Loving Jesus, as we begin our sixth week celebrating your resurrection, the challenge of maintaining Easter joy is real. You also know from your life on earth the real challenges of maintaining faith and hope. You understand the difficulty of offering love in a world that can sometimes oppose the faith or encourage apathy towards it. Help us feel the support of the Advocate to help us remain faithful to the truth. We ask this in your most Holy Name. Amen.
Saint of the Day
Though he sought out the most humble of roles wherever he was, people did not fail to notice St. Crispin's holiness.
He was born in 1688 in Italy. His mother taught him a deep devotion to Mary, and as a young adult he received a little education at a Jesuit college before joining his uncle, a shoemaker, as an apprentice.
When he was 25, he applied to join the Franciscans and was accepted to a monastery in Viterbo. He was a small man who looked sickly, but gave himself to all kinds of manual labor. He liked to call himself the "Capuchin Ass," humbly thinking himself the equal to a beast of burden. He worked in the garden and cooked food.
During several epidemics that struck the area, he helped care for the sick and was known for cures. He also took on a role begging from the local town to obtain money for the sustenance of the monastery. He became well-loved by citizens there, and when he was reassigned and another was sent in his place, everyone in the town refused to offer any money. The superiors were forced to return Crispin.
His last years were spent in Rome, where he was known for his prophecies and miracles. He died at the age of 82, and his relics rest in the reliquary chapel in the Basilica. His image is used here with permission from Catholic.org.
St. Crispin of Viterbo, you were the shoemaker who helped people fix their souls--pray for us!
Image Credit: Our featured image of St. Crispin of Viterbo is in the public domain. Last accessed March 6, 2025 on Wikimedia Commons.
