The Spirit dwelling within us

(Excerpt from Abp. Romulo Valles’ homily during Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022, Tuesday at San Pedro Cathedral Parish, San Pedro St., Davao City)

“The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the Spirit of God dwelling within us.”

The love of God that’s immense that’s impossible to take sobra kaayo but look, [it is] poured into our human hearts, our limited hearts, our gahi ug ulo hearts, our greedy hearts, our envious hearts, our discouraged hearts but yet God wanted to pour His love into our hearts through the Spirit of God.

How is that possible? Through the Spirit of God dwelling within us. That is true and real but always a mystery, today mao na atong gisaulog.

“Oh God who by the mystery of today’s great feast sanctify your whole church in every people and nation. Pour out we pray the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth and with the divine grace that was at work when the gospel was first proclaimed. Fill now once more the hearts of believers.”

But unsay pulos niana [opening prayer]? The constant prayer of the church (we today), Lord pour into our hearts the grace of your Spirit. And that is possible, that is the mystery that we are celebrating now and that is why we come to church, we pray, we get used to it. When we come to church, we come into the mystery of God’ presence. Si God ang Ginoo, wanting to dwell into our hearts, hearts that are greedy, not paying attention, ambisyoso, kulang sa pagtagad; nevertheless, God desires to dwell within us.

If that is the Spirit, mao nay atmosphere today for us, I would propose 3 realities that could happen to us when our hearts are filled with the Spirit.

1. To be people with Hearts which are truly understanding and listening, kung pasudlon nato ang Espiritu Santo sa atong hearts, then we become hearts, kasingkasing nga mapaminawon and masinabtanon; hearts which are listening and understanding. If we are really people with listening hearts, understanding kasingkasing, just imagine what would be our life together. There will be conflicts, there will be pains, there will still be kalisod but from your own experience when listening and truly understanding come in as gifts of the Holy Spirit it will be a totally different world. A world filled with the love of God
2. People with hearts always moved to share and give – to each individual, the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit. To each individual this gift is given in the Spirit for the benefit of the community and therefore another important sign nga Pentecost gyod nato karon sumala sa first prayer, when the Spirit is dwelling in us, the love of God dwelling in us, we are transformed into kind and giving hearts for the benefit of the community. Kung dili pa giving, dili pa caring, dili pa manggilabot, bahala na ayg apil ana kay sigurohon nato ang atoa, ug dili pa kana ang dating, then wa pa kasulod ang Holy Spirit
3. People with hearts which are discerning, truly makabantay unsay sala unsay dili, unsay maka destroy, unsay maka build up, unsay maka dala sa kapildihan and kamatayon and which will bring us to eternal life.