Vatican City, May 6, 2013 / 06:00 am
Pope Francis said people should ask themselves what the Holy Spirit did in them at the end of each day.
"We should get into the habit of asking ourselves before the end of the day, what did the Holy Spirit do in me?" and "what witness did he give me?" he said during daily Mass on May 6.
He explained that, "it is in this way that we can see how Jesus worked in our hearts. It is the Holy Spirit that opens our hearts to know Jesus."
The pontiff celebrated the Mass alongside the Archpriest of St. Peter's Basilica, Cardinal Angelo Comastri.
Employees who work in the basilica were among those invited to attend the Pope's morning Mass.
"The Spirit prepares us for our encounter with Jesus, he leads us down the path of Jesus and works in us throughout the day and throughout our lives," the Pope observed.
He noted that living without the Holy Spirit "would be a religious life, a compassionate life of someone who believes in God but without the vitality that Jesus wants for his disciples."
According to the pontiff, "without this presence, our Christian lives cannot be understood."
"He is a divine presence that helps us move forward in our lives as Christians," he taught.
The Holy Spirit is also important for mission, the Pope said, because he "bears witness to Jesus so that we can give it to others."
Pope Francis recalled the story of a woman named Lydia whose heart was opened to pay attention to the words of Saint Paul.
"I ask that people be granted the grace to become accustomed to the presence of the Holy Spirit, this witness of Jesus who tells us where Jesus is, how to find Jesus, what Jesus tells us," he remarked.