Happy Feast of Pentecost: Pentecost literally means 50th. It is a feast celebrated on the 50th day after the Passover feast by the Jews and a feast celebrated on the 50th day after the feast of the Resurrection of Jesus by Christians. The Jewish Pentecost was originally a post-harvest thanksgiving feast. Later, the Jews included in it the remembrance of God’s Covenants with Noah after the Deluge and with Moses at Mt. Sinai. On the day of Pentecost The Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary as fiery tongues. The frightened apostles were transformed into fiery preachers and evangelizers and were given the gift of tongues by a special anointing of the Holy Spirit. The listeners experienced a fresh anointing of the Holy Spirit through the apostles’ gift of tongues: they heard Peter speaking in their native languages. The early Christians became powerful witnesses and brave martyrs for their Faith in Jesus. Pentecost is considered to be the birthday of the Church. In the Acts of the Apostles we read almost 3000 people became Christians on that day. The Acts of the Apostles – is popularly also known as “The Gospel of the Holy Spirit”. It’s just 28 Chapters! 28 Chapters describing the journey of the Gospel moving out of Jerusalem to Rome – from the centre of the world to the end of the earth; from the start to the periphery! 28 Chapters of excitement, thrill and courage – all guided by the Mighty Power of the Holy Spirit! 28 Chapters recounting the impressive story of ordinary people being transformed by the Holy Spirit, to become bold and faithful Disciples of the Kingdom! 28 Chapters to inspire us to live a Life in the Holy Spirit – being sanctified, guided and strengthened by His Holy Presence! You are invited specially this week – to thirst for the Powerful Movement of the Holy Spirit in your life! … Allow the Holy Spirit to lead you … Allow the Holy Spirit to be your guiding friend… Allow the Holy Spirit to help you become a holy person. Shall we read The Acts of the Apostles, and learn more about the Holy Spirit?
The role of the Holy Spirit in Christian life: As an indwelling God, the Holy Spirit makes us His Living Temples (I Cor 3:16). As a strengthening God, He strengthens us in our fight against temptations and in our mission of bearing witness to Christ by our transparent Christian lives. As a sanctifying God, He makes us holy through the Sacraments: As a teaching and guiding God, He clarifies and constantly reminds us of Christ’s teachings and guides the Magisterium of the Church to teach Christ’s teachings correctly. As a listening and speaking God, He listens to our prayers, enables us to pray, and speaks to us, mainly through the Bible. As a Giver of gifts, He gives us His gifts, fruits, and charisms, thus enriching the Church. We need to permit the Holy Spirit to take control of our lives: 1) by constantly remembering His holy presence, by praying for His daily anointing so that we may fight against our temptations and control our evil tendencies, evil habits and addictions; by asking His daily assistance to pray, listening to God through meditative Bible reading, and talking to Him; and by asking the help of the Holy Spirit to do good for others and to get reconciled with God and others every day.
Together they finished the race: Derek Redmond ran in a semi-final of the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. Halfway round the track this British athlete collapsed with a torn hamstring. For some strange reason, he wanted to finish the race, and he struggled to his feet. Derek’s Dad got up out of the stand, and he broke his way through security. His Dad picked up his crying son, and together they finished the race. That man did what the Holy Spirit does for us. It’s when we are spiritually exhausted, when we find ourselves giving into the spirit of slavery again and again, when we can’t pray, when we don’t want to pray, when our Faith is just not strong enough –- when there is no way we can finish the race. That’s when the Spirit picks us up and drags us to the finish line.
The Two Ushers: Six-year-old Angie and her four-year-old brother Joel were sitting together in Church. Joel giggled, sang, and talked out loud. Finally, his big sister had had enough. “You’re not supposed to talk out loud in church” “Why? Who’s going to stop me?” Joel asked. Angie pointed to the back of the church and said,” See those two men standing by the door? They’re ‘hushers.’
God's blessings
Fr. Suneesh Mathew
