May 27, 2012
Pentecost
Pentecost is our birth-day in the Holy Spirit. Wind and fire bespeak of the movement of the Holy Spirit in our hearts and in the Church. Spirit is from the Latin, Greek and Hebrew words meaning "breath" of God. Jesus breathes on his disciples. The Holy Spirit activates gifts that are bestowed in us by God; gifts of forgiveness and peace, of hope and encouragement, of love and compassion, of faith and understanding, of homecoming and healing, of ministry and service. On this Memorial Weekend and Pentecost Sunday, I'll point out 4 of multiple gifts of the Holy Spirit.
- The gift of remembering, that is so important for Eucharist, is at work today as we remember those who have served our nation in war and in peace. We cannot forget their sacrifice.
- The gift of healing is needed for the men and women who return from conflict. The necessary healing is physical, emotional, psychological, moral and spiritual. There must be forums where service men and women can talk to each other, soldier to soldier, and come to a greater inner peace. It is very difficult to talk about war to someone who has not experienced combat.
- Gift of communication is strangely missing in an age of communication when we text and tweet but are unable to look at someone face to face. Today at the end of the 8 and 10 AM Masses, couples will renew their marriage vows. The have discovered and activated the Spirit's gift of listening and sharing in their marriage and family.
- After the 11:30 AM Mass, a family is bringing a baby to be baptized. The parents will need the gift of sharing their faith with their child. How will a child come to know God's love for them without receiving that message from their parents? Moms and dads are given the task of sharing the Gospel with their children.
We are endowed with other gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit that need to be activated in our faith community and in the larger Church for the betterment of society and the inauguration of God's Kingdom. May we breathe in the precious gift of God's very life. "Come Holy Spirit and enkindle in us the fire of your love."
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7th Sunday of Easter
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Corpus Christi
