There are certain moments in our lives that are thresholds. Once we have experienced them, we are forever changed. Our births, the first time we stand up for our beliefs, the discovery and pursuit of our vocations, the depth of real love lived out, and our deaths.
Today we celebrate the final piece of the Discipleship puzzle being put into place by God: the Holy Spirit coming down and empowering the Apostles to fulfill God’s mission on earth. From this moment forward, they would no longer be locked in a room in fear, they would no longer be questioning why God chose them as our first Bishops.
We see the immediate effect of Pentecost. As the tongues of fire descended on them, the Apostles immediately went out preaching Christ’s salvation to all. The Holy Spirit allows them to speak languages they have no way of knowing, in order to reach hearts that are open. The presence of the Holy Spirit would forever be with them, in a way Divinizing their knowledge, helping them not rely not on the efficacy of their words, but of the Holy Spirit working through them.
In our own lives, this is a scary step. It is the sacrifice of our autonomy and the rejection of the world’s view of independence as a hallmark of success. Our own personal Pentecost is found through the sacraments of initiation in our Church. Moments of unique importance where we are no longer just a child of our parents, but grafted into the family of God. In our own baptisms the Holy Spirit makes His home in our hearts. Through our confirmation we are empowered like the Apostles with the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. And the Words of Christ remind us, it is in fidelity to His words that allows the Holy Spirit to freely reign in our hearts.
The obvious next question is, “What am I doing with those fruits and gifts?” Each and every one of God’s children has a role to play in the building the Kingdom of God. Few are called to be Bishops; all are called to be evangelists. That word is used often, as a reminder, an evangelist spreads the good news of the Gospels. We do that with the help of our Advocate, in the way we talk about our faith, the way people see us live our faith and, in the prayers, we offer for the people in our lives.
Please take time to pray the Veni Creator Spiritus this week.
May the Love, Peace and Grace of God be with you,
Fr. Adam
Veni Creator Spiritus
Veni, Creator Spiritus, mentes tuorum visita, imple superna gratia quae tu creasti pectora.
Qui diceris Paraclitus, altissima donum Dei, fons vivus, ignis, caritas, et spiritalis unctio.
Tu, septiformis munere, digitus paternae dexterae, Tu rite promissum Patris, sermone ditans guttura.
Accende lumen sensibus: infunde amorem cordibus: infirma nostri corporis virtute firmans perpeti.
Hostem repellas longius, pacemque dones protinus: ductore sic te praevio vitemus omne noxium.
Per te sciamus da Patrem, noscamus atque Filium; Teque utrisque Spiritum credamus omni tempore.
Deo Patri sit gloria, et Filio, qui a mortuis surrexit, ac Paraclito, in saeculorum saecula. Amen.
Come, Holy Spirit, Creator blest, and in our souls take up Thy rest;
come with Thy grace and heavenly aid to fill the hearts which Thou hast made.
O comforter, to Thee we cry, O heavenly gift of God Most High,
O fount of life and fire of love, and sweet anointing from above.
Thou in Thy sevenfold gifts are known;
Thou, finger of God’s hand we own; Thou, promise of the Father, Thou Who dost the tongue with power imbue.
Kindle our sense from above, and make our hearts o’erflow with love; with patience firm and virtue high the weakness of our flesh supply.
Far from us drive the foe we dread, and grant us Thy peace instead;
so shall we not, with Thee for guide, turn from the path of life aside.
Oh, may Thy grace on us bestow the Father and the Son to know; and Thee, through endless times confessed, of both the eternal Spirit blest.
Now to the Father and the Son, Who rose from death, be glory given, with Thou, O Holy Comforter, henceforth by all in earth and heaven. Amen.