This weekend, we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. When talking about this day, we most commonly think about the Apostles receiving the Holy Spirit. It is the same Holy Spirit that we receive in our confirmation. What are some ways to celebrate Pentecost Sunday and the days following?
A few years ago, Pope Francis encouraged us to find out the date of our baptism and to celebrate it. Pentecost is a good time to discover the date of our confirmation, in a way, our personal “Pentecost”, when we embraced our faith and accepted the call to go out to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. So find the date of your confirmation, and make plans to celebrate your reception of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost Sunday is also a good time to begin spending some time learning more about the Saint we chose, perhaps by finding a book about our Saint, discovering ways we can emulate them, or even ask them to intercede on our behalf. Maybe you want to reach out to your confirmation sponsor, to pray with them, or at a minimum, pray for them.
Another thing to do on Pentecost Sunday is to begin spending time learning more about the gifts of the Holy Spirit – wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord. As you learn more about these gifts, reflect on how you have used these gifts in your own life. Meditate and pray on how you can use these gifts in the future.
In the Acts of the Apostles, we hear when the apostles “where all filled with the Holy Spirit”, they “began to speak in different tongues”, to spread the good news of Jesus Christ. This is the same thing God expects of us when we received the Holy Spirit in our confirmation. How are you doing with that? The Holy Spirit gives us the courage, and the words, to share our faith with others, to invite someone to join you at Mass, or invite someone back to the Church. You can do that, trust in the Holy Spirit.
In the Gospel reading from John, we hear Jesus telling the apostles “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.” When was the last time you received the Sacrament of Reconciliation? Was it during Lent, or even longer ago? If so, it is time to go again. Ask the Holy Spirit to guide you through an examination of conscious, to prepare you well to receive the sacrament, and don’t wait too long to receive the mercy of the Father by the forgiveness of your sins.
Finally, if you’ve struggled praying to the Holy Spirit, look for a prayer that can help you to call on the Holy Spirit to guide you in your life, to strengthen you, to help you fulfill what God is asking of you. One way to pray to the Holy Spirit is the Holy Spirit Novena*. While it is traditionally said leading up to Pentecost, it really can be said anytime of the year.
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
Deacon Greg
Serviam
Recent Comments