Solemnity of Pentecost

06-08-2025Pastor's CornerFr. Bob Deehan

The Sunday, we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, the event when the Holy Spirit came upon Jesus’ disciples in a special way to empower them to continue His mission of proclaiming the Good News to the world. Each of us fully initiated Catholics have experienced our own Pentecost event when we received the Sacrament of Confirmation and were bestowed the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety, and Fear of the Lord – which means revering God by offering Him due worship and devotion.

Think about what the coming of the Holy Spirit did to the disciples in the upper room on that first Pentecost. They were completely changed people, gifted with special abilities and zeal to make known the message and love of Jesus Christ, and the salvation made possible by His death and Resurrection. We continue to benefit from these graces of the Holy Spirit given at Confirmation, but, have we used them? Have you kept in mind the fact that we are called to be intentional disciples to continue Jesus’ mission in our own place and time? What effect has the Holy Spirit had on you? Have you ever prayed for a special outpouring of the Holy Spirit, maybe with the simple prayer “Come Holy Spirit?” St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians offers some evidence to look for as a way of telling if you or someone you know has allowed the Holy Spirit to be effective in them. His list includes 9 “fruits” of the Holy Spirit and the tradition of our Church has expanded them to 12. They are: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, long-suffering, humility, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity. So, how do you measure up? Pray daily that the Holy Spirit will enable you to be transformed and guided to carry out well the unique and special mission the Lord has entrusted to you by using the gifts of the Holy Spirit and manifesting His fruits. Here is a prayer to the Holy Spirit you can use composed by Fr. William Browning, CP.

PRAYER TO THE HOLY SPIRIT

O Holy Spirit, give me stillness of soul in you. Calm the turmoil within with the gentleness of your peace. Quiet the anxiety within with a deep trust in you. Heal the wounds of sin within with the joy of your forgiveness. Strengthen the faith within with the awareness of your presence. Confirm the hope within with the knowledge of your strength. Give fullness to the love within with an outpouring of your love. O Holy Spirit, be to me a source of light, strength, and courage so that I may hear your call ever more clearly and follow it more generously. Amen.

God bless you!