Pentecost!
It is a special time in the life of the Church and in our life! We recall the event: The Apostles were gathered in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and with other women. They had received a mission from Jesus but they were at loss on how to carry it out, because after Jesus‘s resurrection and ascension into heaven a great persecution broke out. It appeared as if the Apostles were gripped by paralyzing fear, but they were countering this fear with prayer.
The presence of Mary in their midst is no coincidence. She was with them as a Mother who believed completely that the promise and the commission of Jesus to “Go out to all the world; proclaim the good news to all creation!” (Mark 16:15) would be fulfilled. It is in this climate of prayer that the Holy Spirit broke in and descended upon them freeing them from the scourge of half-heartedness and filling them with the spirit of apostles and martyrs.[1]
We need the Holy Spirit
Currently, we are living in a situation similar to that time: We are encompassed by fear and anxiety. It seems our faith is wavering, and we even ask ourselves: “How can God allow this pandemic to take the lives of thousands of people?” Should we stay shuttered at home or should we face harsh uncertainties at work? What should we do?
Father Joseph Kentenich said that we know from experience how difficult is nowadays to have living, supernatural faith…
What is the importance of the Holy Spirit in my life? He enables us:
First, to have a faith-filled relationship with God in our everyday life.
Secondly, to experience God. When cross and suffering or anything else comes upon us in our daily life, we want to immediately experience it is an encounter with God. As St. Paul said: “The righteous person lives by faith!”[2] –- Therefore, in the spirit of faith, I should see God in everything and give myself to God.[3]
Let us make our home a Cenacle
We need the Holy Spirit who was promised by Christ to his Church! Let us make our home a Cenacle. Let us invite the Blessed Mother to be with us, and united with her let us implore the Holy Spirit!
When the Paraclete comes our faith will be strengthened, enlivening it and making it efficacious. We will be able witnesses to Jesus who came to make known to us the provident love of God our Father; that this Father cares for us in even the smallest matters. When the Paraclete comes we will also be capable of saying “yes” to the Father’s plan of love as did the Mother of God who cooperated in the plan of salvation. This is our plea for the feast of Pentecost: