Hmmm, today is tricky. Very tricky. John... help me out here!
How does one know when they have encountered the Truth? Well, all I can think to say to that is... THEY KNOW!!!! Their life is completely changed. The world is a whole new place, you observe it from a different viewpoint, with a different heart to the one you had before. With every ounce of my being, He exists! The LISS book doesn't actually finish the passage it asks us to reflect on, but the rest of the Gospel passage is here:
"The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you." John 14:17.
I have at times felt a very strong and consuming presence of the Holy Spirit, as if I was one with the Holy Spirit, even to the point of feeling a touch of another spirit. It was kind of like... taking myself out of myself, then not being myself. It is an exhilirating feeling... yeah I know... someone reading this might be asking themselves 'has she really been one with the Spirit? How is she so sure she isn't imagining it?' I just know. I'm totally unworthy of God's great presents, but His Will be done. I believe with my heart, that I have come to know the Spirit, even just the tiniest bit. I also believe with all my heart, that I will never know the Spirit fully until I am resurrected to eternal life at the end of time... just like you. I did not come to know the Spirit without first dying. I was spiritually dead. For ages. There was a 5 year period of my life, when I was consumed with worldly things. I had no faith. God was not a living 'thing' to me. God simply existed for me in the innocence of my childhood, but upon turning a teenager, I was lost.
I guess the way I see today's reflection is this (picking up on the second passage that LISS asks us to focus on today): "we were all baptized into one body"... we all died in baptism to a new life in Christ. When we arise with new life, new spirit, new purpose, we truly understand that we "were made to drink of one Spirit".
Holy Spirit, You are Truth in the Paraclete. You were with me when I died and rose in Christ's name on the day of my Baptism, and on the day of my Confirmation. I am so very sorry of I never appreciated, praised or thanked You for leading me in the path You have Willed for me. Your presence in my life is no longer unnoticed, and I pray that You continue to bless me in the very special ways You do. I want to show the world Your great love... yet, not my will, but Your Will be done!
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