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From the Pastor's Desk: May 31, 2020
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Veni Sancte Spiritus -
Come, Holy Spirit
“Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your spirit and we shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.”
Today the Church celebrates Pentecost as the day on which the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, gathered in an upper room with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, as He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.”
Historically in the Jewish tradition, Pentecost was a harvest-feast, celebrated 50 days after Passover. For the first apostles of Jesus, however, it is the celebration of the Holy Spirit, who gave them the gifts of grace through which they would undertake the evangelical mission of the Church. It is considered as the birthday of the Church and a feast of unity in the Spirit of God. It is the day of the Spirit, the day the storm wind renews our love, the day of the fire that brings us joy and freedom, the day of the Holy Spirit that brings together of all His members into one body of His Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church.
The experience of Pentecost is the experience of a great transformation. The disciples were transformed. Courage replaced fear, as eleven of the twelve Apostles would ultimately die a martyr’s death. Understanding replaced confusion, and they gained a deep sense of purpose: they realized their experience of Jesus’ sacrificial death and resurrection was truly Good News and it needed to be shared. The disciples left the Upper Room forever and began living the Church’s Great Commission from Christ: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, until the end of the age."
I want to take the opportunity to congratulate the Graduation Class of 2020 from Annunciation Catholic School, Bishop Snyder High School, and seniors from various other schools in our community. May the power of the Holy Spirit be upon you as you advance on a new chapter of your lives. May you be an authentic disciple by embracing the values of the Catholic Church that you received and apply them generously in your lives daily. To all graduates– I offer my deepest and most sincere assurance of my prayers and support.
On Sunday at the celebration of a special Mass at 2:00 pm and with 50 days long anticipation, we will celebrate the Rites of RCIA for our brothers and sisters who patiently waited to enter into the full communion with the Catholic Church. I pray that you will forever appreciate the gift of your faith and embrace the call that comes to you on the Solemnity of Pentecost. May the new chapter of your life of faith, empowered by the gifts of the Holy Spirit, transform you into Jesus’ true and authentic disciples. Please share the gift of your faith with others and proclaim with joy and conviction the Holy Name of Jesus by your words, deeds and actions. Welcome all of you into the family of the Holy Catholic and Apostolic Church!
With the celebration of the great solemnity of Pentecost, the season of Easter comes to its glorious conclusion as we enter Ordinary Time. The paschal candle that shines in the sanctuary as a symbol of the visible presence of Our Lord upon earth will be moved to its permanent place by the baptismal font. The color of vestments will change to green and the solemn and joyful proclamation of “Alleluias” will be lessened but our faithful mission of the church continues to grow through our lives.
May the Spirit of God fill our hearts as we make our prayer the invocation of the Holy Spirit in this upcoming week: “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your spirit and we shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth.”
Let us pray for the gift of the Holy Spirit to be always in our lives!
With prayers,
Fr. Andy
