“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.”
JOHN 14: 25, 26
Today (June 9), we celebrate Pentecost, also known as the birthday of the Church. As the Scripture from the Gospel of John outlines, Christ was with his Disciples and told them that the Holy Spirit would now be with each of them. Close your eyes and try to place yourself in that Upper Room as Christ delivered those powerful words. The Holy Spirit, the one who had spoken through the prophets, was being sent by the Father to guide us to hear the Word.
As we pray and participate in our various ministries and our daily lives, think about how often the Holy Spirit inspires us or intercedes for us. The Holy Spirit inspires Scripture, intercedes in prayer and is ever present in the ministries of the Church. Whether it be in our Church ministries, in our relationships with our children and family or our individual spiritual growth, the Spirit is there to be the “fruit” in our life. The more we ask Christ to be a part of our life, the more the Holy Spirit will intercede in our lives.
This Pentecost Sunday let us specifically pray to the Holy Spirit to intercede in the lives of our Neophytes. Today, we celebrate the removal of their baptismal robes at 9:30 Mass. As a community, let us pray for these new members to the Catholic Church as they continue their growth and maturation under the guidance of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
-John Kovacik