The Spirit of Truth

When I look at this picture it helps me imagine what I hope the spark of the Holy Spirit looks and feels like when it catches in our hearts!
There is just so much going on in our world that calls for a truly Christian response from each of us, and on days as warm as this it can all seem a bit overwhelming. I find myself asking of myself, what can one person do? Even Jesus in next Sunday's Gospel seems to have had a tough time figuring out how to make a difference in the lives of the people who knew him best.

Prophets call us to pay attention to what God is asking of us. Theirs is not an easy task, for no one likes to be reminded that they've fallen short of the mark. I wonder who our prophets are today? Who are the folks who remind us that we're supposed to be the best we can be, not our worst selves!

It takes great courage to speak the truth. I'm not sure I always have that courage.

We celebrate our independence on July 4th. I also always celebrate my dad, Jim Porcelli who was and lives on in our family memory as a wonderful man. My dad was a quiet guy, but I think he had convictions he was willing to stand up for. I believe he was an honest man who tried to do the right thing in all circumstances. He was a loyal friend. He was funny. He had his shadow side for sure, but when all is said and done, he was a man of principle.

So, while the rest of you celebrate Independence this week, I will hold in  my heart a memory of a man who taught me to be an independent woman, strong and loyal. A person who holds dearly to her values and tries to stand for the truth. My prayer for each of us is that, when the time for courage is needed to speak the truth, in love, the Holy Spirit will fill our hearts with all that is needed to speak and stand for what is right for our world.