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From the Desk of Fr. Bill
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From the Desk of Fr. Bill
This weekend my brothers and sisters in the Faith, we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost-the day Christ sent the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the Young Church. Since the Feast of the Ascension of the Lord we were in a period of time (ten days) of anticipation of the Holy Spirit. Today then we focus on His coming and relive that coming in our liturgical rites and Eucharistic Celebrations.
According to the dogmatic constitution on the Church, “The Holy Spirit perpetually renews the Church and leads it to union with its Bridegroom, Jesus Christ. The whole company of the Faithful who have an anointing by the Holy Spirit cannot err in Faith.”
It is by the gift of the Holy Spirit that we are empowered to believe. He transforms us that we live a life pleasing to God.
Our Blessed savior described the purpose of the Spirit’s presence.
“I have many things to say to you but you cannot hear them now. It is to your advantage that I go away, if I go, I will send you to advocate and also I will ask the Father and He will give you another counselor to be with you forever, the Spirit of Truth. He will guide you into all Truth, for He will not speak on His own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak and He will declare to you the things that are to come. He will glorify me for He will take what is mine.”
The Holy Spirit, Christ’s gift to us is given to us so that we can know the will of God. Just as the eyes need light to fulfill their function and the ears need sound vibrations to hear so the human soul needs to absorb the gift of the Holy Spirit so the mind can through faith know God and participate in His life through the Order of Grace.
St Paul reminds us that we are temples of the Holy Spirit and were purchased at a great price.
In the Book of Acts I: 8 Jesus tells His apostles and by implication all of us, that we are to be His witnesses to the far corners of the world and it is by the gift of the Holy Spirit we are empowered to live as witnesses to the presence of the living God among us.
This feast on June 10th celebrates “the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ”. During Masses the weekend of June 9/10, both the Consecrated host and precious blood will be distributed during Holy Communion. At the end of each mass there will be a Eucharistic procession around the church with the Blessed Sacrament concluding with Adoration and Benediction. We invite everyone to participate in this great tradition.