SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST A
INTO THE LIGHT AGAIN!
image from the internet
How does it feel to live through
the world’s longest lockdown?
We started in the middle of Lent
and now we emerge out of it at the end of Easter!
No school, no work, no church, no
business for two and a half months… how did you survive? That you endured,
thank the Lord for that!
Today, it’s Pentecost, the coming
of the Holy Spirit on the Blessed Virgin Mary and the Apostles (Acts 2:1-11).
And guess what? Before that, the
apostles too, were in lockdown!
After Jesus died, the apostles
were so afraid of the authorities that they hid from view.
Even after Jesus rose from the
dead, they still couldn’t face up to the world, still afraid.
But they remembered the promise
of Jesus: he will send the Gift, the Holy Spirit, but they needed to wait and
pray.
Let’s imagine them praying: Come,
Holy Spirit… Come, Holy Spirit… over and over again.
The Holy Spirit indeed came and
the first thing the apostles did was to leave their hiding place and go out in the
open spaces to speak about the Lord Jesus Christ!
The fear was gone, the insecurity
disappeared, the trembling ceased.
Filled with the Holy Spirit, the apostles
spoke and proclaimed the gospel to anyone they met!
Each year, before Pentecost the
readings remind us to call on the Holy Spirit.
Our faith teaches us to pray
repeatedly: Come, come, come, Holy Spirit. If we are sincere, He will surely
come.
But once the Holy Spirit comes,
we must stop saying “Come, Holy Spirit!” We cannot keep inviting someone who is
already with us.
Instead, we must enjoy His
presence, experience His power, and live the life he shares with us.
On Pentecost, the apostles
stopped saying “Come” and instead went out in the power of the Holy Spirit to
start their new lives as missionaries, as preachers, as witnesses of the Risen Christ.
We are about to leave the
confines of our homes.
We are about to return to the
usual environments and activities we are accustomed to.
Make sure, you have prayed to the
Holy Spirit, “come and fill my heart!” Pope Francis tells us to pray like this often.
In fact, it is a good practice to
pray like this each morning upon waking up.
And when you have invited him
into your heart, go out confidently to resume your work, to rebuild your life,
to restore relationships, to renew your connection with God by serving the people
around you each day.
May the Holy Spirit fill you with
His presence and empower you to go out and make the world a better place.
Pls share with a friend…
