Lesson for Pentecost Sunday

And then in the gospel the Risen Christ breaths on the apostles and gives them the Holy Spirit. This gesture goes back to the very beginning of the book of Genesis, when it says that at the moment of creation the Spirit of God was hovering over the waters. In Hebrew, the word for Spirit is Ruah, which also means breath.

So here John is saying that Jesus, by giving us the Holy Spirit, is recreating us. The Holy Spirit gives us new life. He is present in us as the source of our new life in Christ. Perhaps an analogy will help. Here I give you 2 analogies. First is about the fountain in Rome and the second is the story of St. Philip Neri.

The Fountain of Life

A friend of mine told me that Rome, Italy, has more fountains than any other city in the world. There are 50 monumental fountains and nearly 2000 smaller fountains scattered throughout the city. The effect of cascading water is delightful and adds great charm to the Roman experience.

My friends also told me that sometimes there's a problem. The companies that manage the water supply have occasionally gone on strike. When that happens, these magnificent fountains are dried up and lifeless. When the water supply comes back on, the difference is stunning. We think to ourselves: This is what a fountain is supposed to be. Stunning!

We are like the fountain, and the Holy Spirit is like the water. Without his presence, we are missing something vital. But with him, we are what we should be. 

St Philip Neri and the Orb of Fire

On Pentecost Sunday in 1544, St Philip Neri was praying in the catacombs in Rome. He describes how he was praying and a ball of fire entered his mouth and lodged in his chest. When he regained his senses, he found a swelling on his left side, which remained with him the rest of his life. Ever after, when he was deep in prayer or administering the sacraments, his heart would beat so violently that others could hear it. After his death the autopsy revealed that several of his ribs were cracked by an enlarged heart. This is unique in the history of the Church.

Why do I tell this story? Most of us probably won't have a ball of fire enter our hearts and enlarge them. But this is actually what the Holy Spirit does, although usually not in a physical way. He brings us new life, and that means the ability to truly love.

Restoring the Water Supply

I just told you about the fountain in Rome. Sometimes our water supply dwindles; sometimes it's completely shut off. The cause of this is sin, which wounds or even, if the sin is serious enough, cuts off our relationship with God.

But the good news is that we have a valve to turn that water supply back on. It's called the sacrament of Reconciliation. We believe that when we go to confession and receive absolution (the words of forgiveness that the priest says in the name of the Church), our sins are really forgiven. And that means that our relationship with God is restored. The Holy Spirit also breaths on us and gives us new life. That's why we can experience so much joy when we go to confession. We feel the life-giving water of the Holy Spirit in a new and wonderful way.

Asking for the Gifts

The Church teaches us that there are 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit. These gifts prepare us to receive the Holy Spirit's inspirations in our hearts.

• Wisdom, which gives us a "taste" for the things of God. We experience delight in what is right.
• Understanding is the gift of the Holy Spirit that gives us a deeper sense of the meaning of the teachings of the Church.
• Knowledge enables us to judge everything by the light of heaven.
• Counsel helps us to speak the words that will draw others closer to God.
• Fortitude gives us the strength to keep trying to love and be faithful to God and to our calling when things get tough.
• Piety gives us reverence towards God and towards each human person.
• Fear of the Lord brings us to avoid sin because we love God and don't want to offend him.

St John Paul II said that he used to ask the Holy Spirit every day to give him these gifts in greater abundance. If he needed to do that, perhaps we should try it too. So, my challenge is to learn these gifts of the Holy Spirit (you can find the list on the internet or in the Catechism of the Catholic Church), and to pray for them each day this week. As we do that, we're opening the door to that new life the Holy Spirit brings. 

MARY: THE MOTHER OF HOPE

Brothers and sisters, once Pope Francis said this in his sermon:

"We owe so much to this Mother! She is present at every moment of salvation history, and in her we see a firm witness to hope. She, the mother of hope, supports us in moments of darkness, difficulty, despair, or when we seem to be losing."

The month of May is celebrated as the month of Mary. This is a sacred tradition that arose and developed in European countries that have four seasons. May is spring, when flowers bloom. May is considered the beginning of life. For Catholics, Mother Mary is the 'New Eve' who is the mother of all life. Mary brings a new life to humanity. Therefore, Catholics dedicate the month of May to Our Lady as the month of the beginning of a new life.