Pope asks whether our hearts vacillate or are fixed on the Holy Spirit

May 19, 2014 - Pope Francis is urging that Christians to have a resolute heart fixed on the Holy Spirit and not vacillate ‎from one side to another. This was the theme of the homily that Pope Francis preached at Mass, Monday morning, ‎in the chapel of the Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican. Reflecting on the Acts of the Apostles ‎episode about Jews and Gentiles planning to stone Paul and Barnabas in Iconium, the Pope pointed that ‎that St. Paul had a resolute heart but in continuous movement. On coming to know about his ‎assassination, he did not lament but went elsewhere in the region preaching and even healed a crippled, ‎whereupon the pagans regarded Barnabas and Paul as the incarnations of the gods, “Zeus” and ‎‎“Hermes”, and wanted to offer them sacrifices. However the two struggled to convince them they ‎were ordinary mortals and that there was only one God. This was the human situation in which Paul ‎lived, the Pope said, adding, he could evangelize tirelessly because his heart was strengthened by the ‎Holy Spirit, about whom Jesus said, “he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” ‎We too, the Pope said, must go to the Spirit, if we want resoluteness in life. The Holy Spirit whom we ‎have received in Baptism gives us the strength and the determination to go ahead amidst life’s ‎vicissitudes. Pope Francis urged all to reflect on whether they have a fickle heart like a dancer flitting ‎from one side to another like a butterfly, overwhelmed with life’s events and afraid to witness to Jesus. ‎Is my heart fixed upon everyday gods or is it a heart fixed on the Holy Spirit, amidst the “many daily ‎events of life at home, at work, with our children, with people who live with us, with work colleagues, ‎with everyone, the Pope said. ‎