Deacon Tom Writes,
Since the Beginning of Time
Mass During the Day
Christ’s gift of the Holy Spirit to his disciples that
we celebrate in today’s Feast of Pentecost completes Christ’s Pascal Mystery.
The Trinity is completely revealed as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Jesus’
ascension into heaven signals the beginning of the time of the Church. With
Pentecost we celebrate the dawning of a new era as the Church is born and
receives the Holy Spirit to guide and testify to all truth as Jesus had taught
during His ministry.
The Holy Spirit began His mission within the church
on that first Pentecost, but it is not as if the Spirit of God has been sitting
on the sidelines with nothing to do up until then. Since the beginning of time
the Holy Spirit has been busy at work in our world. Here are some of the
accomplishments of the Holy Spirit:
In the opening words of the Book of Genesis we find
a “Mighty Wind, that is, the Holy
Spirit, sweeping over the formless
wasteland, bringing order out of chaos, generating the creative process
that formed the universe and filled our world with life.
In Genesis 1:26 the Spirit gives life to the dust
from which we are all made and shares his very divine image with us as is
written, “ Let us make man in our image and likeness”.
In the Book of Wisdom the Holy Spirit is personified
as wisdom itself. In Wisdom 9:9 we read, “ Now
with you is Wisdom, who knows your works and was present when you made the
world; Who understands what is pleasing in your eyes and what is conformable
with your commands”. Verse 11continues… “For she (Wisdom) knows and understands all things, and will guide me
discreetly in my affairs and safeguard me by her glory”.
The Holy Spirit is the
Wisdom of God that is evident in all creation. We know from all of our teachings
that God is faithful to His promises, and He has promised to send His Spirit to
all who ask Him to do so. And so, we wait for the Holy Spirit to continue
the work Jesus told us the Spirit of God would do when he arrives... "But when he comes, the Spirit of
truth, he will guide you to all truth. He will not speak on his own, but he
will speak what he hears, and will declare to you the things that are
coming" (John 16:13). And so, on this Pentecost, at this
time when people around our world are in such dire straits and in such need of
God's Truth, it is fitting to raise our minds and hearts and voices to invite
the Holy Spirit into our lives to guide and protect us and to give us, and
those who rule over us, the Wisdom of God by praying:
Come Holy
Spirit,
Fill the
Hearts of your faithful
And kindle in
them the fire of your love.
Send forth
your Spirit
And they shall be created
And You shall
renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by
the light of the Holy Spirit
Did instruct
the hearts of the faithful,
Grant that by
the same Holy Spirit
We may be made
truly wise
And rejoice in
His consolation
Through
Christ, Our Lord,
Amen
Enjoy the day!
Deacon Tom
Image Credit: 26120210_hand_holding_earth:
elements-furnished-by-nasa_ on_123rf_com
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