THEN THEY WILL FAST

Am 9,11-15; Ps 84; Mt 9,14-17
7 JULY
The Spirit of the Lord knows what is in every heart and responds according to the heart of the other. His every answer is drawn in his most pure wisdom and knowledge. Jesus is full of the Holy Spirit. From his wisdom he takes every Word. He gives his disciples this same rule. It will be the Spirit of God to put the right Word on their lips, especially when they will find themselves in the courts. For this reason they will not have to worry.

I tell you, everyone who acknowledges me before others the Son of Man will acknowledge before the angels of God. But whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. “Everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven, but the one who blasphemes against the holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they take you before synagogues and before rulers and authorities, do not worry about how or what your defence will be or about what you are to say. For the holy Spirit will teach you at that moment what you should say” (Lk 12,8-12). Paul was aware that some were Sadducees and some Pharisees, so he called out before the Sanhedrin, “My brothers, I am a Pharisee, the son of Pharisees; (I) am on trial for hope in the resurrection of the dead.” When he said this, a dispute broke out between the Pharisees and Sadducees, and the group became divided. For the Sadducees say that there is no resurrection or angels or spirits, while the Pharisees acknowledge all three. A great uproar occurred, and some scribes belonging to the Pharisee party stood up and sharply argued, “We find nothing wrong with this man. Suppose a spirit or an angel has spoken to him?” The dispute was so serious that the commander, afraid that Paul would be torn to pieces by them, ordered his troops to go down and rescue him from their midst and take him into the compound. The following night the Lord stood by him and said, “Take courage. For just as you have borne witness to my cause in Jerusalem, so you must also bear witness in Rome” (At 23,6-11).

Nehemiah does not know what to answer to the king. First he prays. Then he answers. This man is certain that the Lord will put the right word on his mouth for his king.

In the month Nisan of the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes, when the wine was in my charge, I took some and offered it to the king. As I had never before been sad in his presence, the king asked me, “Why do you look sad? If you are not sick, you must be sad at heart.” Though I was seized with great fear, I answered the king: “May the king live forever! How could I not look sad when the city where my ancestors are buried lies in ruins, and its gates have been eaten out by fire?” The king asked me, “What is it, then, that you wish?” I prayed to the God of heaven and then answered the king: “If it please the king, and if your servant is deserving of your favour, send me to Judah, to the city of my ancestors’ graves, to rebuild it” (Ne 2,1-5).

Esther must speak to the king. She asks for the right word to say. But this is not enough for her. The Lord must move the heart of the king to believe in her words.

Remember, Lord, be manifest in the day of our affliction and give me courage, O king of the gods and ruler of all power. Put a well-measured word in my mouth in front of the lion and turn his heart to hatred against him who fights us, for his extermination and those who agree with him. As for us, save us with your hand and come to my aid, because I am alone and I have no other than you, Lord! (Esth 4,17r-17t).

In the Holy Spirit, Jesus knows what word to say. Today we do not say a word of light. Only one word is needed to bring peace to the hearts. This word is also rich with light. Jesus reveals himself as the true spouse of the disciples, just as God is the spouse of his people.

Then the disciples of John approached him and said, “Why do we and the Pharisees fast (much), but your disciples do not fast?” Jesus answered them, “Can the wedding guests mourn as long as the bridegroom is with them? The days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast. No one patches an old cloak with a piece of unshrunken cloth, for its fullness pulls away from the cloak and the tear gets worse. People do not put new wine into old wineskins. Otherwise the skins burst, the wine spills out, and the skins are ruined. Rather, they pour new wine into fresh wineskins, and both are preserved.”

Wise Virgin, Angels and Saints ensure that the Christian always speaks from the Holy Spirit.