June 9, 2019 Feast of Pentecost

The Feast of  Pentecost - Year C

Reading I:  Acts 2:1-11

Psalm:  104

Reading II:  Romans 8:8-17

Gospel:  John 20: 19-23


The Feast of Pentecost, meaning 50 days after Easter, is called the Birthday of the Church. The disciples hiding behind closed doors, terrified that they would be tortured and killed if they were known to be followers of Jesus, were called to hold leadership roles in the new Church. How could these frightened men lead in this new Christian Community?

The Lord had promised to send them the Holy Spirit who would be their companion and guide in this new challenge. The Lord had promised not to abandon them. Knowing their weaknesses, as well as their good will, Jesus sent the help they needed.

Although it was a deep interior experience, St. Luke describes it in ways that appeal to our senses.  He describes the coming as like the wind. The wind can lift up and move things. He was the wind behind the back of Peter who now had the fortitude to stand up and preach to the Jews that they had put to death their Savior. Many were converted and baptized as a result of his preaching.

The Holy Spirit is also described as tongues of fire. Fire can purify, and warm things. The disciples were cleansed of their cowardliness and set on fire with zeal to spread the Good News. They even had the courage to give up their lives as martyrs for the faith.
 

Fire provides light. The disciples are given guidance also through the light of the Holy Spirit. Today many people pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance, especially when there are important decisions to be made.


The Holy Spirit is visualized as a dove, symbolizing gentleness and love. Jesus had exhibited gentleness and love all through His divine-human life. How gentle He was with sinners who repented! His whole message was “Love” that we are to love God and our neighbor as ourselves.  


Finally, there was the phenomenon of people hearing things in their own native languages. The Spirit’s message is that the Good News is for people of all nations and races.


Reflection on the sequence for today’s Mass is very helpful for fully appreciating the Gift we were given at Pentecost.

Veni, Sancte Spiritu (Come Holy Spirit)

Come, Holy Spirit,

send forth the heavenly

radiance of your light.

Come, father of the poor,

come, giver of gifts,

come, light of the heart.

Greatest comforter,

sweet guest of the soul,

sweet consolation.

In labor, rest,

in heat, temperance,

in tears, solace.

O most blessed light,

fill the inmost heart

of your faithful.

Without your spirit,

there is nothing in man,

nothing that is not harmful.

Cleanse that which is unclean,

water that which is dry,

heal that which is wounded.

Bend that which is inflexible,

fire that which is chilled,

correct what goes astray.

Give to your faithful,

those who trust in you,

the seven-fold gifts.

Grant the reward of virtue,

grant the deliverance of salvation,

grant eternal joy.

 Reflection Question:  Do I take the time to call on the Holy Spirit at times when I need, courage, comfort, or guidance?

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

Fiesta de Pentecostés

La Fiesta de Pentecostés, que significa 50 días después de la Pascua, se llama el Cumpleaños de la Iglesia. Los discípulos que se escondían detrás de puertas cerradas, aterrorizados de ser torturados y asesinados si se sabía que eran seguidores de Jesús, fueron llamados a desempeñar roles de liderazgo en la nueva Iglesia. ¿Cómo podrían estos hombres asustados liderar en esta nueva comunidad cristiana?

El Señor había prometido enviarles al Espíritu Santo, quien sería su compañero y guía en este nuevo desafío. El Señor había prometido no abandonarlos. Al conocer sus debilidades y su buena voluntad, Jesús envió la ayuda que necesitaban.

Aunque fue una experiencia interior profunda, San Lucas lo describe de maneras que atraen a nuestros sentidos. Describe la venida como como el viento. El viento puede levantar y mover cosas. Él era el viento detrás de la espalda de Pedro, que ahora tenía la fortaleza de pararse y predicar a los judíos que habían matado a su Salvador. Muchos fueron convertidos y bautizados como resultado de su predicación.

El Espíritu Santo también se describe como lenguas de fuego. El fuego puede purificar, y calentar las cosas.Los discípulos fueron limpiados de su cobardía y prendieron fuego con celo para difundir la Buena Nueva. Incluso tuvieron el coraje de renunciar a sus vidas como mártires por la fe.

El fuego proporciona luz. Los discípulos reciben orientación también a través de la luz del Espíritu Santo. Hoy en día, muchas personas oran al Espíritu Santo para que los guíe, especialmente cuando hay que tomar decisiones importantes.

El Espíritu Santo se visualiza como una paloma, simbolizando la dulzura y el amor. Jesús había exhibido amabilidad y amor a lo largo de su vida divina y humana. ¡Qué amable fue con los pecadores que se arrepintieron! Su mensaje completo fue "Amor": que debemos amar a Dios y al prójimo como a nosotros mismos.

Finalmente, estaba el fenómeno de las personas que escuchaban cosas en sus propios idiomas nativos. El mensaje del Espíritu es que la Buena Nueva es para las personas de todas las naciones y razas.

La reflexión sobre la secuencia de la misa de hoy es muy útil para apreciar plenamente el regalo que recibimos en Pentecostés.

Veni, Sancte Spiritu (Ven, Espíritu Santo)

Ven, espíritu santo,
envía lo celestial
resplandor de tu luz.
Ven, padre de los pobres,
ven, dador de regalos,
Ven, luz del corazón.
El mejor consolador,
dulce huésped del alma,
dulce consuelo.
En trabajo de parto, descanso,
en calor, temperancia,
en lágrimas, consuelos
Oh luz bendita,
llenar el corazón más íntimo
de tus fieles.
Sin tu espiritu
no hay nada en el hombre,
Nada que no sea dañino.
Limpia lo que es inmundo,
el agua que está seca,
Curar lo herido.
Dobla lo que es inflexible,
fuego lo que se enfría,
Corregir lo que se extravía.
Dale a tus fieles,
los que confían en ti,
Los siete regalos.
Concede la recompensa de la virtud,
concede la salvación de la salvación,
Concede eterna alegría.

 Pregunta de Reflexión:   ¿Me tomo el tiempo de invocar al Espíritu Santo en momentos en que necesito valor, consuelo o guía?

Comments:

Stephanie Morris, Ph.D. Historian, Certified Archivist, Emerita

St. Katharine wrote that “The Holy Ghost is ever within me – the presence of God.” Like the Apostles, we have received the Holy Spirit; like the Apostles, we each have our “own particular work to do for the Church.” Spending a little quiet time with the Holy Spirit, after Communion or whenever we have some quiet time, we may hear the Voice of the Holy Spirit, inviting us to work with God to do what God has asked us to do.

Pat Chiaffa, ASBS

The song, “The Prize Worth Fighting For,” by Jamie Kimmett, can be heard regularly on Christian radio. Essentially, it affirms that one will persevere through the difficulties of life by remembering the promises of Christ and His unfailing grace. 


Before I headed out the door to do some errands, I read your post for the Feast of Pentecost so I could think about it during the day. I turned the radio on in the car and the above-mentioned song was playing. I was struck by the description of the challenges the songwriter was describing:

“Lately been down so low

My faith seems to come and go

Some days father I don’t know

How did my love grow cold

When every day’s just another struggle

And every choice is an act of war

Gotta pray gotta press on

To the prize worth fighting for…”


The lyrics go on to describe the depths of pain that none of us desire to experience.

The first thing that came to my mind is how blessed I am to believe in, and have a relationship with, the Holy Spirit. Next, I felt panic at the thought of not having the Holy Spirit to call on for comfort and support if I were going through a season where life felt like a battle. I realized how important it is to pray for others going through difficult times who may not know of the Presence of the Holy Spirit, that they will come to know His consoling, strengthening grace.

Richard Rohr wrote a series of daily reflections on the Indwelling Spirit and one thought that stirred me was, “When the Spirit is alive in people, they wake up from their mechanical thinking and enter the realm of co-creative power.” That sentence moved me because I recognized that, after so many decades of praying to the Holy Spirit for guidance, this is now a reality for me. As soon as I turn my attention to the Holy Spirit when I am in need, I am reminded that I have access to a higher level of thinking. When I ask Spirit for help, I can be assured of a more favorable outcome than if I had turned to my default mode of operating and tried to “fix” matters on my own.


While preparing for the day today (May 26), I was listening to talk radio and Flash Point Philadelphia was on. The topic was Suicide Awareness among teens. Suicide has tripled over the past several years in the 10 to 19-year-old age group, and Mental Health experts attribute this situation to increased exposure to social media. Depression, linked to loss of contact with others, is cited as contributing to the suicides. The facilitator also mentioned the presence of self-harm videos on Instagram where practices such as cutting, draw young people into a darkness that ending life is an option.

I found the program to be disturbing and I felt profound sadness that these exquisite children fail to recognize their true value and worth. Mental health issues are unique and complex, yet I ask, against what standards do these hurting souls measure their sense of identity. These grim statistics, in my mind, provide evidence that the attractions of the world are shallow and that we have an obligation to reach young people with the message that they are loved and have available to them the intimate companionship of the Spirit of God.

As numbers of churchgoers continue to drop, where will this generation of youth hear the message of God’s love and of His Plan for them; that they matter and are infinitely precious? 

We are wired for God. It is who we are, and the absence of this awareness, I believe, will cause us to experience a void when we encounter struggles that cry for a spiritual communion.


As I call upon the Holy Spirit for guidance, comfort, and courage for myself and my loved ones, I will include in my prayers those who are in need of His assistance but unaware of His Presence in their lives.

Christmas Mass During the Night

December 25, 2018  ~  Christmas   

© www.LumoProject.com

Reading I: Isaiah 9: 1-6

Psalm:  96

Reading II:  Titus 2:11-14

Gospel:  Luke 2:1-14

I chose to focus on the Gospel of the Mass during the night because of the mention of Joseph. There are many qualities of Mary which Joseph also possesses. Joseph is dedicated to the Lord and willing to do whatever the Lord wants. This includes challenges and suffering.

It began when Mary told him that she was with child when they had not yet been married.  How upset and confused he must have been. In his time,  women who conceived outside marriage were expected to be stoned. How horrible this thought must have been for Joseph who loved Mary. How could he solve that dilemma? Finally, an angel spoke to him in a dream telling him not to be afraid to take Mary as his wife and that it was by the Holy Spirit that she conceived. The son to be born of her would be called “Immanuel*,” Hebrew for “God is with us”  (* Emmanuel is the Roman translation).

Just at the time when the child is about to be born, Emperor Augustus orders a census and Joseph has to go back to his hometown of Bethlehem with his pregnant wife. Since the town is crowded, Joseph cannot find a suitable place for the baby to born. How sad he must have felt when he could only provide a cave which housed animals for Mary at this difficult time.

Then, an angel warns Joseph, the protector of Jesus and Mary, to escape to Egypt so that Jesus would not become a victim of Herod. Herod’s intense jealousy drives him to order that all baby boys under 2 years of age be killed. Herod believes that will prevent a rival from usurping his power. How difficult it must have been for Joseph to uproot Mary and the Infant and bring them to a foreign, desert place.

The last thing we hear of Joseph in the Gospels is the loss of Jesus at the Temple. The caravans traveling were divided into women and men. The younger children were with the women and the older with the men. Jesus was twelve. Mary and Joseph each thought he was with the other.  When they discovered differently, you can imagine their panic, until they go back to the Temple and find Jesus in deep discussion with the elders.

Like Mary, Joseph had a calling that required dedication, trust, and sacrifice. Joseph fully cooperated with the grace of God in a quiet, gentle, humble manner. We don’t hear words of praise for God as we did from Mary. However, Joseph’s actions reveal what is deep within his heart.

As we reflect on the picture of  Mary and Joseph, focusing lovingly on the Holy Infant, (above) it is a reminder of what we as Christians are called to do. To follow our own calling, we must keep our eyes on the self-effacing Son of God, Jesus, our Savior, and imitate the love and selflessness of His holy parents.

 Reflection Question:  How can I remember to focus on our Savior in the busyness of my daily life?

Let us pray for peace in our world!
May you and yours have a

very blessed Christmas!

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

Misa de Navidad Durante la Noche

Elegí enfocarme en el Evangelio de la Misa durante la noche debido a la mención de José. Hay muchas cualidades de María que José también posee. José está dedicado al Señor y está dispuesto a hacer lo que el Señor quiera. Esto incluye desafíos y sufrimiento.

Comenzó cuando Mary le dijo que estaba embarazada cuando aún no se habían casado. Cuan molesto y confundido debió haber estado. En su época, se esperaba que las mujeres que concebían fuera del matrimonio fueran apedreadas. Qué horrible debe haber sido este pensamiento para José que amaba a María. ¿Cómo podría él resolver ese dilema? Finalmente, un ángel le habló en un sueño diciéndole que no tuviera miedo de tomar a María como su esposa y que fue por el Espíritu Santo que ella concibió. El hijo que nacería de ella se llamaría “Immanuel *,” en Hebreo porque “Dios está con nosotros” (* Emmanuel es la traducción romana).

Justo en el momento en que el niño está a punto de nacer, el emperador Augusto ordena un censo y José tiene que regresar a su ciudad natal de Belén con su esposa embarazada. Como la ciudad está llena de gente, José no puede encontrar un lugar adecuado para que nazca el bebé. Qué triste se debe haber sentido cuando solo pudo proporcionar una cueva que albergaba animales para Mary en este difícil momento.

Luego, un ángel le advierte a José, el protector de Jesús y María, que huya a Egipto para que Jesús no sea víctima de Herodes. Los celos intensos de Herodes lo llevan a ordenar que se mate a todos los bebés menores de 2 años. Herodes cree que eso evitará que un rival usurpe su poder. Qué difícil debió haber sido para José arrancar a María y al niño y llevarlos a un lugar extranjero y desértico.

Lo último que oímos de José en los Evangelios es la pérdida de Jesús en el Templo. Las caravanas que viajaban estaban divididas en mujeres y hombres. Los niños menores estaban con las mujeres y los mayores con los hombres. Jesús tenía doce años. María y José cada uno pensaron que él estaba con el otro. Cuando descubren lo contrario, puedes imaginar su pánico, hasta que regresen al Templo y encuentren a Jesús en una profunda discusión con los ancianos.

Como María, José tenía una vocación que requería dedicación, confianza y sacrificio. José cooperó plenamente con la gracia de Dios de una manera tranquila, suave y humilde. No escuchamos palabras de alabanza a Dios como lo hicimos desde María. Sin embargo, las acciones de José revelan lo que está en lo profundo de su corazón.

Al reflexionar sobre la imagen de María y José, enfocándonos con amor en el Santo Infante, (arriba) es un recordatorio de lo que los cristianos estamos llamados a hacer. Para seguir nuestro propio llamado, debemos mantener nuestros ojos en el egoísta Hijo de Dios, Jesús, nuestro Salvador, e imitar el amor y la abnegación de Sus santos padres.

  Pregunta de reflexión:    ¿Cómo puedo recordar enfocarme en nuestro Salvador en el ajetreo de mi vida diaria?

January 15, 2017 - Jesus, the Lamb of God

The Second Sunday in Ordinary Time  - Year A

Reading 1:  IS 49: 3, 5-6

Response:  Psalm 42
Reading 2:  1 COR 1:1-3
Gospel:  John 1:29-34

One of my favorite Biblical persons is John the Baptist. I like the way he always points us to Jesus rather than himself. I see him as the perfect model for spiritual directors and those who teach about the Christianity at any age level. His expression that Jesus should increase and he should decrease has always touched me. John saw Jesus as he truly was and himself in the role of preparing his way.

Calling Jesus the Lamb of God is also very special and appropriate. Each time we participate in Mass, the prayers: “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, have mercy on us.” and “Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world, grant us peace” are said. Why were those prayers chosen to begin the Communion part of the Mass? Could it be the richness of the expression Lamb of God?

When we think of a lamb, we think of new life. How exciting to witness a new birth! Jesus certainly brought newness to our world. We usually do not consider how the world was before the time of Jesus. We take for granted some institutions like hospitals, social services, and other charitable groups. Even our calendars indicate a new era as we note that we are in year 2017 AD (Anno Domini), the year of the Lord.

The term “lamb” also suggests gentleness. In the picture above, we see Mary holding the Infant Jesus in one arm and a lamb in the other. Lambs are noted for their gentleness and provide wool to warm and comfort us. As strong and powerful as the Lord is, he came to us as a human infant and exhibited great gentleness and mercy toward people during his ministry.

Finally, the lamb was also the a sacrifice that the Jewish people offered to God to acknowledge his supremacy and their dependence on him. Therefore, the aspect of sacrifice is also embedded in the term “lamb.” Jesus through his accepting of the cross, his suffering and sacrificial death is truly the Lamb of God.

Having reflected on the richness of the meaning of Lamb of God, let us cherish this holy name of Jesus and say it with great love each time we participate in the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Spanish Translation of Reflection Above...

Jesús, el Cordero de Dios

Una de mis personas bíblicas favoritas es Juan el Bautista. Me gusta la forma en que siempre nos señala a Jesús más que a sí mismo. Lo veo como el modelo perfecto para los directores espirituales y los que enseñan sobre el cristianismo a cualquier edad. Su expresión de que Jesús debe aumentar y él debe disminuir siempre me ha tocado. Juan veía a Jesús como él realmente era y él mismo en el papel de preparar su camino.

Llamar a Jesús el Cordero de Dios también es muy especial y apropiado. Cada vez que participamos en la Misa, las oraciones: "Cordero de Dios que quita los pecados del mundo, ten misericordia de nosotros" y "Cordero de Dios que quita los pecados del mundo, concédenos la paz". ¿Por qué fueron elegidas estas oraciones para comenzar la Comunión en la Misa? ¿Podría ser la riqueza de la expresión Cordero de Dios?

Cuando pensamos en un cordero, pensamos en una nueva vida. ¡Qué emocionante ser testigo de un nuevo nacimiento! Jesús ciertamente trajo novedad a nuestro mundo. Normalmente no consideramos cómo era el mundo antes de la época de Jesús. Tomamos por sentado algunas instituciones como hospitales, servicios sociales y otros grupos caritativos. Incluso nuestros calendarios indican una nueva era cuando observamos que estamos en el año 2017 AD (Anno Domini), el año del Señor.

El término “cordero” también sugiere dulzura. En la foto de arriba, vemos a María sosteniendo al Niño Jesús en un brazo y un cordero en el otro. Los corderos son notados para su suavidad y proporcionan la lana para calentar y confortarnos. Tan fuerte y poderoso como el Señor, vino a nosotros como un niño humano y mostró gran mansedumbre y misericordia hacia las personas durante su ministerio.

Finalmente, el cordero fue también el sacrificio que el pueblo judío ofreció a Dios para reconocer su supremacía y su dependencia de él. Por lo tanto, el aspecto del sacrificio también está incrustado en el término “cordero”. Jesús a través de su aceptación de la cruz, su sufrimiento y muerte sacrificial es verdaderamente el Cordero de Dios.

Habiendo reflexionado sobre la riqueza del significado del Cordero de Dios, apreciemos este santo nombre de Jesús y lo digamos con gran amor cada vez que participamos en el Santo Sacrificio de la Misa.