God’s New Creation is Perfected in Pentecost.

Of all the Old Testament festivals, two have become major solemnities in the Church. The first is Passover (Pascha or Easter) and the second is Pentecost (Shavuot, meaning Weeks and is the Festival of The Law, The Torah) established when God gave Moses the Law at Mt. Sinai and celebrated 50 days (7x7).

In the Church Calendar each year, we celebrate the birth of Jesus, the Son of God, the Light of the World at Christmas; and we celebrate the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church at Pentecost, 50 days after Easter. The Festivals of The Light and The Law were the corresponding ancient Jewish feasts to Christmas and Pentecost, with the greatest pilgrimage Feast of Passover in between. The mighty, rushing Pentecost wind reminds us of the creation of the world when the Spirit of God was breathed over the world; God gave light to the darkness and order followed. When we talk in terms of a new creation or a birthday, we see that the Holy Spirit is truly a Person, not a thing: the Divine Protector.

“[As] the Gospel goes out into the pagan world, one of the things that miracles and tongues are going to function as are signs of the supernatural character of the Gospel. They’re signs that the Church isn’t just a human institution, but a divine institution”
(Dr. Brant Pitre: Mass Readings Explained)

‘Receive The Holy Spirit’

Who is the Holy Spirit? is the correct way to ask this question because the Holy Spirit is a Person. A Divine Person, the Third Person of the Holy Trinity, “equal in dignity and majesty with the Father and the Son: the Holy Spirit is one member of the Holy Trinity.”

“As a Person, the Holy Spirit is one we can be in relation with. We can know and love the Holy Spirit just as we know and love the Father and the Son. And the Spirit loves us just as He loves the Father and the Son.

Personhood means there is potential for love and union. The Holy Spirit has an intellect and will, and with those characteristics freely knows and loves as God.”
(www.mycatholiclife/the-holy-spirit)

To Know One Person of the Trinity Is To Know All Three Persons.

If we know the Holy Spirit, then we know the Father and the Son; likewise, if we know the Son, we also know the Father and the Holy Spirit. It’s not all that complicated: we just have to think in divine terms, which means thinking as God thinks, not as an thinks; but differently, Divine and Holy. The Holy Spirit is associated with two sets of gifts and fruits.

The sacrament of Confirmation, the Holy Spirit, “increases the gifts of the Holy Spirit within us”
(Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1303).

We ask for a renewal of our Confirmation this Pentecost and we pray for the Gifts of the Holy Spirit so that we will produce good fruits. Pray that you will feel called by the Holy Spirit to use your gifts to serve our Parish in one of our many ministries of service and especially on one our Councils.

Thank You To All Of Our Volunteers As We Honor You This Pentecost!

Fr. Kilian, our Deacons, our great Parish Staff, Disciples and Many Volunteers.

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