Veni Sancte Spiritus

The outpouring of the Holy Spirit bestowed upon the first Disciples, and upon us, the gifts of the Holy Spirit. The presence of the Spirit emboldens the Church to continue the mission of Jesus Christ by unfolding ministries for the good of the Church. To be sure before the Pentecost the apostles simply tagged along beside Jesus. after the Spirit was poured out upon them they had the courage and strength to speak about the Word of God

As a Christian people the center of our faith is firmly rooted in the Paschal Mystery. This same Spirit enlightens us as to how to live in the context of this mystery, as it unfolds the passion, death, and resurrection before us. So it is in the Church, we are drawn into that mystery again and again. It is important for us to reflect upon this very important context of faith on a regular basis. If we do not we can begin to believe that our ministry or our manner of praying is the focus of our community.

St. Paul does a great service in helping us understand the levels of the Body of Christ. When we can understand our communion with the rest of the Body of Christ, we are then enabled to use our gifts and talents for the lifting up of our brothers and sisters, and actively become a catalyst for the the salvation and peace offered through Jesus Christ. Whether we are a health care minister, or someone who pours coffee at a parish breakfast, we do everything in the name of Christ. This is the way we continue that evangelization process.

The Holy Spirit continues to spill life and hope into the lives of all of us. At Baptism and Confirmation we first encounter the Holy Spirit. In these sacraments we take on the image and likeness of Jesus Christ. The Spirit continues to push us out of our comfort zone so as to proclaim Good News. But he does so with care and compassion, strength, and courage. May the good work the Lord has begun in us be brought to completion.