Jesus’ way of presenting the Holy Spirit made it evident that his followers were supposed to relate to the Spirit as a teacher, a counselor, a consoler—as someone who would help and guide them in their daily lives as Christians. In the Acts of the Apostles, we saw that Christ’s followers were in a dialogue with the Spirit, who actively directed and assisted them in their missionary activity. More »

Imagine what it must have been like when Jesus ascended into heaven two thousand years ago. More »

Nowhere else in the Bible than in the Acts of the Apostles will we find a better description of all that the Holy Spirit can do. Nowhere else do we read so many stories of how the Spirit transformed and empowered ordinary people and sent them into the world as his ambassadors. So let’s take a look at some of these stories to learn how the Spirit worked—and how he can work in our hearts today!
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After Jesus’ ascension, the apostles gather in the upper room. “All these devoted themselves with one accord to prayer, together with some women, and Mary the mother of Jesus, and his brothers: (Acts 1:14).
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When Pope Francis was introduced to the world, tidbits about his life and preferences began to emerge: little things, such as how he enjoyed the South American beverage mate and how he was a lifelong fan of the Saints of San Lorenzo soccer team. One article about his likes made reference to a favored devotion of his—Our Lady Undoer of Knots. The moment I read that, my internal ears perked up.
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On May 11, 1873, the steamer Kilauea deposited thirty-three-year-old Father Joseph Damien de Veuster on the landing at Molokai. Bishop Maigret told the disease-ridden crowd gathered there that he had brought them “one who will be a father to you, and who loves you so much that . . . he does not hesitate to become one of you; to live and die with you.” More »

A Gift of Fear

Lapa Benincasa’s shrieks bounced off the walls of her kitchen and into the narrow streets of Siena. Her daughter Catherine, the twenty-fourth of her twenty-five children, had just shaved her head. More »