Sunday May 31st. 2009
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your divine love.
Over the past seven weeks since Easter we have been
celebrating with joy the resurrection of Our Lord, and his many
appearances to the Apostles. As they recognised his presence,
their hearts burned within them and they were filled with comfort,
reassurance, inner peace and strength. This Sunday, the feast of
Pentecost, recalls the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles in
the form of a roaring wind and tongues of fire. The first reading of
the mass describes the spectacular effect produced on the disciples
by the coming of the Holy Spirit. The change in their lifestyle was
startling, as the Spirit urged them to commit themselves totally to
God and the mission given to them by Our Lord before he
ascended into heaven.
The Apostles had gathered round Our Blessed Lady as the last
tangible contact with Our Lord, for her presence gave them
strength and unity. Mary had co-operated with the Holy Spirit at
the Annunciation, and at her fiat, the Christ Child was conceived
through the power of the Holy Spirit... And the Word was made
flesh and dwelt amongst us.
Mary was present at the birth of her Son’s new body, the Church,
on Pentecost morning. The Upper Room, where the Last Supper
took place, was like a womb from where we received Our Lord’s
Body in the Eucharist and from where his new body, the Church,
was also brought forth with such joy and excitement.
The Apostles now threw aside call caution, were no longer afraid
and rushed out to begin their mission of preaching the Good
News, boldly proclaiming their faith in a crucified Christ.
Suddenly there was no longer uncertainty, everything fell into
place and made sense. At that moment the Church was born. The
spirit of God had filled the disciples with new hope and courage.
On that day over 3,000 were converted to the Christian faith. The
Apostles received the power and strength to set off into the world
and enthusiastically continue the work which Christ had begun.
For most of them, it would mean martyrdom.
The coming of the Spirit on that first day of Pentecost was not a
once and for all event, but the beginning of his permanent
presence in the Church. By virtue of our baptism, the Holy Spirit
is closer to us than we dare imagine. Wherever there are hearts
open to receive him, the Spirit of God is poured out, inspiring
minds to undertake their mission as Christ's representatives
according to their vocation. This feast brings home to us that God
calls us to a deeper relationship with him and wants us to share in
his life. It is an invitation to en kindle the fire of love and to stir
up the grace of our baptismal calling and our confirmation. We do
not always know when the Spirit moves us, yet we are frequently
surprised by the power that drives us into action. Whenever we go
beyond our own selfish indifference and reach out in genuine
concern for people in trouble, then the Spirit of God is at work
guiding us, giving us renewed strength to turn upside down
accepted human values and the will to move along in a new
direction. As we face trials and crosses and encounter the
difficulties and disappointments which can leave our daily lives in
tatters, we stand in need of the help of the Holy Spirit, whose
presence makes such a difference to our outlook. Christ has
promised that the power of the Spirit will come if we ask for him.
It's essential then that in prayer we leave the door of our hearts
open to invite him in. We become different persons and changed
people to the extent that we allow the Holy Spirit to disturb our
complacency, uproot our mediocrity and make way for fresh
growth. What the Spirit will bring into our lives if we permit him
to lead us, is joy, peace and love. On this Pentecost Sunday, we
thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit who works in countless
hidden ways to deepen our faith, fill us with strength and
inspiration and to renew our lives.
