Never Alone
In this Sunday’s Gospel, Jesus speaks words that are deeply comforting: “I will not leave you orphaned.” He promises that the Holy Spirit will guide us in simple and quiet ways. No matter what we face, we are never alone.
In the readings, we see how this promise becomes real in the lives of the early believers. They listened eagerly, with one accord, to the message of Christ. There was great joy among them. The apostles laid hands on them, and they received the Holy Spirit. At the same time, they were encouraged to live in a way that reflected this hope, and to share it with others in gentleness and reverence. Their lives became a quiet witness to the presence of God within them.
I remember a time when I was leading a discussion at work. There was strong disagreement within the team about the approach we should take. The discussions became quite intense, and we were unable to reach a common direction. In that moment, I quietly turned to prayer, asking the Holy Spirit for guidance. Shortly after, our director unexpectedly joined the meeting. He listened and then made a clear decision that brought the team together. It was a simple moment, but it reminded me how God can intervene and guide us even in the middle of our daily work.
Jesus does not promise that life will be free from challenges. But he does promise that we will not face them by ourselves. The Spirit of truth is with us, guiding us, strengthening us, and helping us to live with hope.
As we reflect this week, we might ask ourselves: Do I recognise God’s presence in my daily life? Am I open to the quiet ways the Spirit is guiding me? And can I share this hope with others through simple acts of kindness and understanding?
May we live each day with the confidence that God is with us. And may our lives gently reflect the hope we carry within us
Ajith Nissangaratchie