Feast
of Pentecost 27-05-12
Theme:
Place of the Holy Spirit in our lives.
1st
Reading
2nd
Reading
Gospel
20:19-23 Receive the Holy Spirit
The
people who attend charismatic retreats will surely have a better appreciation
for the presence of the Holy Spirit in their lives .
The
Spirit is the Spirit of Power. (1 Cor2:4) the source of Christian love, hope
and faith.
Sprit
frees men/women from the law (Gal5:18, Rom 8:2) it frees us from the cravings
of flesh (Gal5:16)
The
spirit is indeed the gift that constitutes the work of Jesus (Gal4:6)
The
spirit assists us in prayer and makes us especially aware of his relation to
the God the Father.
This
power of the Spirit is not something distinct from the power of Christ.
We
have been consecrated and have become upright “by the Power of our Lord Jesus
Christ and through the spirit of our God. (1 Cor6:11)
His
Holiness Pope John 23rd was the one who let the winds of the Spirit
permeate the minds and hearts of Catholic people.
Vatican
II was the place where one could see the presence of the Holy Spirit working
actively in the council fathers.
This
was the sign of the presence of the Holy Spirit in the recent modern times.
We
can also say the Spirit entered our lives during our Baptism and then during
our Confirmation.
Let
us become aware and live this reality.
The
presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives gives us an added courage to live our
Christian commitment with renewed zeal.
When
the Believer receive the power of the Holy Spirit.
The
life of a Christian becomes a crucible of joy which is visible in all
vicissitudes of life.
The
seven gifts which each one of us receives when we surrender to the yoke of the
Spirit humbly.
We begin
to live under His influence our lives become attuned to the times through His
grace and inspiration.
We
began the novena to the Holy Spirit nine days ago.
When
we celebrate the feast of Pentecost the presence of the Holy Spirit will be
helping us to participate in the Eucharistic celebration with participative
joy.
When
we read the testimonies of people who have been touched by the power of the
Holy Spirit we feel united with the spirit of such people.
It
also gives an added solidarity to live our belief much more relevantly and
courageously and sensitively to the realities of life.
We
have seen this in the recent attacks on Christians in many areas of our country.
Though
the attacks continue and even today we experience the persecutions due to this
people have to flee their homes and abandon their possessions.
Even
then people never lose hope and faith in the saving God.
This
spirit has given many much joy even in suffering.
This
has also united the Christians in a more real way than many years before in our
country.
Though
we are a small minority in India
We
can be glad we possess the Spirit of the risen Savior.
he
has helped his work to continue for centuries.
We
share Christ’s role as priest, prophet and king.
When
we participate along with the priest in the Eucharist we live the gift of
priesthood in offering Jesus offering to His Father.
When
we preach through our activities witnessing to the truth we have experienced we
profess his ideals prophetically as prophets, because when we do this we require
the courage of a prophet.
When
a prophet has sufficient courage can his/her message become a means of wise
message for conversion, union and harmony.
The
believing community when they live these ideals in a community which becomes a
missionary endeavor the activity becomes a dynamic kingly value for a kingdom
which does not show any external power but the power of service and love this
really becomes a value of a new kingdom where each member becomes a king.
We
build such communities where the universal value of unity and
brother/sisterhood becomes vibrantly visible and truly worth proclaiming to the
world.
When
the fruits or gifts of the Spirit which are love, joy, peace, patience,
kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self control are visible in the
lives of the Christians their life becomes a living witness, sharing every
thing they have.
The
life of the Spirit is also a challenge to all the persons who are gifted by
Him.
His
invitation to be his messenger is seen in people like Peter who was timid and
who abandoned Jesus in his suffering, when the Spirit empowered him he was bold
enough to speak in tongues and the people who listened to him thought he was
drunk.
When
our actions become visible in the presence of the Spirit, life becomes worth
living and we are able to become missionaries in whatever job we may be engaged
in.
Our
life becomes a temple where the of the Spirit of the Lord.
We
have heard the readings and the first reading today told us how Jesus sent the
Holy Spirit on the apostles and Mary and that day became a day of burning fire
for all those timid people who were hiding from the wrath of the Jews,
Pharisees and Sadducees to be boldly witness to the truth of Risen Savior.
We
have experienced this reality, in our lives too, when we felt, we are at the
end of our rope and we did not know what to do and how to deal with a certain
situation.
What
happened when we surrendered and the let the power of the Spirit to over power
us we found a certain calm and power descend upon us and empower our
helplessness with his courage and wisdom.
In
the second reading we see how our different organs are working harmoniously
because of one purpose that is to give orientation to our life.
When
all our parts work harmoniously we are able to achieve all that is required of
us in this society where we live. There are various functions we have to
perform and we can do this because we are working because of the Spirit that is
unifying us so systematically.
The
functions of the members of a society as human beings are something very
special.
We
can be part of a society because we have different types of gifts given to us
as we may be sometimes leading, sometimes organizing and some times unifying.
In
the Gospel of today Jesus is so concerned about his disciples, he not only
gives each of his members the peace, joy and stability but also the power to
forgive sins.
Forgiveness
is a gift given to the church and the priest holds this key to forgive through
the sacrament of reconciliation how often we get ourselves signed by this
sacrament which gives us added lost Spirit.
That
is why this sacrament is sacrament of renewal and reconciliation.
Therefore
the Spirit of the Lord is constantly guiding us to be honestly following the
path he has set for each one of us.
Let
us receive this Holy Spirit to be witnesses of the Lord to the whole world.
Wish
all of you all the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Yours
in the divine word,
Fr.
Juze Vaz svd
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