“Test the spirits to see whether they belong to God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Beloved in Christ, the Word of God today speaks with striking clarity: “Do not trust every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they belong to God.” These are not words of fear, but words of wisdom. They are spoken to a Church that lives in the world yet belongs to God, a Church that must constantly discern what voices lead to life and which lead us away from the truth. We live in an age crowded with voices. Opinions multiply, ideologies compete, and spiritual claims abound. Many promise fulfillment, freedom, or salvation, yet not all are from God. Saint John gives us a simple but profound test: Does this spirit acknowledge Jesus Christ come in the flesh? Does it lead us to believe in him and to love one another as he commanded? If it does not, then no matter how attractive or persuasive it may seem, it does not belong to God. The true Spirit always leads us toward relationship—relationship with Christ and with one another. Saint John reminds us that we receive from God because we keep his commandments: to believe in the name of Jesus and to love one another. Authentic faith is never abstract or detached. It takes flesh, just as Christ did. It becomes visible in mercy, obedience, humility, and love. Where love is absent, the Spirit of God is absent. Where Christ is denied—especially in the poor, the sick, and the forgotten—the spirit at work is not of God. The Gospel shows us what the true Spirit looks like in action. Jesus enters Galilee, a place overshadowed by darkness, and light arises. His first words are clear and demanding: “Repent, for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” The Spirit of God always calls us to conversion—not to condemnation, but to transformation. Jesus teaches, proclaims, and heals. He does not merely speak truth; he embodies it. The Kingdom he announces is confirmed by the healing of broken bodies and wounded lives. This is the spirit we are called to test for and to follow: a spirit that brings light where there is darkness, hope where there is despair, and healing where there is pain. Today we celebrate St. John Neumann, a bishop who lived this discernment with extraordinary fidelity. An immigrant, a missionary, a tireless shepherd, he tested the spirits of his time and chose the Spirit of Christ. He did not seek popularity or comfort. Instead, he built schools, strengthened parishes, cared for the poor, and defended the faith with humility and courage. His life acknowledged Jesus Christ come in the flesh—present in immigrant families, in children seeking education, and in a growing Church in need of pastoral care. Dear friends, Saint John assures us of this promise: “You belong to God… for the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.” We need not be afraid. The Spirit given to us is stronger than deception, stronger than darkness, stronger than any false prophet. As we go forth today, let us ask for the grace of discernment. May we test every spirit by the measure of Christ crucified and risen. May we choose the light that calls us to repentance, the truth that leads us to love, and the Spirit that makes us instruments of healing in a wounded world. And like St. John Neumann, may our lives proclaim—without ambiguity—that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh, and his Kingdom is truly at hand.