During today’s mass we will be celebrating Pentecost Sunday. The readings for mass are about the descent of the Holy Spirit that was poured out on the Apostles, fifty days after Easter. All three of the readings today have to do with the descent of the Holy Spirit, our own baptism in the Spirit, and that we are sent forth by Jesus to proclaim the Word of God.
If you are interested in reading more about what the church teaches about Pentecost though, the Catechism of the Catholic Church explains it a little more in depth:
On the day of Pentecost when the seven weeks of Easter had come to an end, Christ’s Passover is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, manifested, given, and communicated as a divine person: of his fullness, Christ, the Lord, pours out the Spirit in abundance.” (ccc 731)
“‘When the work which the Father gave the Son to do on earth was accomplished, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost in order that he might continually sanctify the Church.” (ccc 767)
“The Church was made manifest to the world on the day of Pentecost by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In this age of the Church Christ now lives and acts in and with his Church, in a new way appropriate to this new age.” (ccc 1076)
“Since Pentecost, it is through the sacramental signs of his Church that the Holy Spirit carries on the work of sanctification.” (ccc 1152)
Everyone who was confirmed in the Catholic Church has already received the gift of the Holy Spirit. We have received the same Holy Spirit that the Apostles received on the day of Pentecost. We received an indelible, permanent mark on our soul that shows that we belong to Jesus Christ. Confirmation increases the graces that we received at our baptism and deepens our relationship with Christ. His Spirit lives in our heart, and in our soul, and will hopefully do so forever.
Remember that when you received the gift of the Holy Spirit, you also received the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of right judgment and courage, the spirit of knowledge and reverence, and the spirit of holy fear in God’s presence. We need to be careful to guard this precious gift that we have received. It is very easy to become distracted by all the events that go on in our lives, and perhaps even by our own sins. The distractions in our lives and our sins, can decrease our awareness of the Holy Spirit at work in our lives.
Jesus provided a way for us to set things right and restore a right relationship with him though. In today’s gospel, Jesus told his Apostles, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” (Jn 20: 22-23) This verse is the basis of the sacrament of confession in the Catholic church. If someone ever questions you on why Catholics confess their sins to a priest, you might remember this verse in scripture. Our priests were given the authority to forgive sins, or retain them, directly from Jesus.
Something to think about today though, might be to look at the gifts of the Holy Spirit again, and see if any of these gifts seem to be suppressed in our lives right now?
Wisdom
Understanding
Counsel
Fortitude
Knowledge
Piety
Fear of the Lord
If this is the case, then perhaps this week we could set aside some extra time to pray to the Holy Spirit, asking for these gifts to increase within us:
Veni Sancte Spiritus
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home,
~ Shed a ray of light divine!
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
~ Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul’s most welcome guest;
~ Sweet refreshment here below;
In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
~ Solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
~ And our inmost being fill!
Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
~ Nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
~ Wash the stains of guilt away;
Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
~ Guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
~ In your sevenfold gift descend;
Give them virtue’s sure reward;
Give them your salvation Lord;
~Give them joys that never end.
Amen.
Alleluia.
Sunday Mass Readings:
Acts 2: 1-11 / Psalm 104 / 1 Cor 12: 3b-7, 12-13 / Veni Sancte Spiritus/ Jn 20: 19-23
