A soul-strengthening word of the newly-ordained auxiliary bishop Teofil of Spain and Portugal: “Like flowers which open in the morning their petals to receive the dew, we also must open our hearts daily to receive the dew of the Spirit. And the Holy Spirit will inspire each of us on what to do and how to do, what to say…”
Bp Teofil of Iberia:
“Contemplative and active saints…
I believe that both have a common trait: they are all saints who use to pray… they all have prayed to God with all their heart…
You can not be contemplative without unceasingly praying to God, you can not be active, that is to serve your fellow men, if you do not pray!
It is only from fervent and earnest prayer that the true witness is born!
Because, in fact, the true witness is an inspiration from above…
You know how Savior says to the Apostle: Do not be afraid because it is not you that witness, but the Spirit of your Father, He will witness through you… So we just have to open our heart… In the place where God put each of us…
Like flowers which open in the morning their petals to receive the dew, we also must open our hearts daily to receive the dew of the Spirit. And the Holy Spirit will inspire each of us on what to do and how to do, what to say…
But without Holy Spirit, without the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, you should know that our work becomes weak and unfruitful…
And I think that’s why we often complain and we are unsatisfied, because we do not feel the work of the Spirit, we put more emphasis on our effort, on what we know, on what we do…
But we can not do anything, the Savior says: without me you can do nothing (John 15:5)!
Therefore, let us insist very much in prayer, in the place where God put each of us… and in prayer we will receive the inspiration of the Holy Spirit and we will always do what is good, what is useful for all of us and, above all, what is for the glory of God…
And if we will glorify God, He also will glorify us… in this age, but especially in that which is to come…
Let the glory be His forever and ever. Amen! Christ is risen!”