A Personal Pentecost

Today we celebrate the birthday of the Church. Pentecost is the beginning. It is the beginning of faith overcoming fear. It is the heart of a time of no resistance or hesitation to speak freely about faith. It is a time when the disciples lived so steeped in confidence that their faith became one with who they were. The Spirit was how they interacted with others and the world.

As you know, we have been doing online masses throughout the pandemic. We generally do them 2 weeks in advance, so there is enough time to do all the after taping work required to prepare the presentation for the right day. As a result, I heard Father Jerry’s Pentecost homily 2 weeks ago. His Pentecost homily captured my heart. I have been praying with his insight since our taping. The wisdom that so caught me was that while Pentecost was a communal event, each of the disciples and each of us experiences a “Personal Pentecost.”

I never thought of Pentecost that way before. But it is a beautiful insight. We know Confirmation is the sacrament that celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit. I am not sure about you, but I was confirmed when I was 12 years old, and I didn’t have a clue. And the truth is that probably doesn’t matter. The Holy Spirit isn’t limited to that moment. Over and over again, the Holy Spirit works in us, changing our hearts, strengthening our drooping spirits. The Spirit gives us the love and courage we need to stand as Jesus did in the face of adversity and negativity. Pentecost is a time when we are not clothed in faith but when faith bursts from the inside of us outward. It shines forth from our soul and captures all who are around us in its wonder. So many times, the Holy Spirit has been active, showering me with Her gifts. 

Sometimes the inspiration of the Holy Spirit comes in a flash. I recall sitting in a Hospice room with David, my mother’s companion, and seeing the overwhelming grief in Mom’s eyes. Her loss was for this man she loved and the insecurity of not knowing what would happen to her. Without thought, internal debate, or pause, I told her I would come. I would care for her. That was the Holy Spirit powerfully working in my life. 

Thinking of Personal Pentecost, I know the Holy Spirit was there when I was 18 and entering the convent. And the Holy Spirit was there when at 48 I left the convent. The Spirit-led both. The Spirit gave me the words I needed when I faced difficult situations. The Spirit guided me in relationships and helped patch up my broken heart when those relationships failed. The Spirit led me to my ministry in various Catholic Schools. The Spirit blesses me daily in my ministry with you at Sacred Heart.

It is good to remember that we have never been alone. In the good or the bad of our lives, the Holy Spirit has been there with wisdom and guidance. We all need to pause and remember the decisive moments when the Holy Spirit embraced us with love.

The Holy Spirit is with us always and all ways. When life happens to us, the Holy Spirit floods us with her power. The most marvelous thing is we don’t even have to ask for the Spirit’s presence. We just need to be attentive and allow the Spirit’s power to own us. Once we have accepted the love of God and allow that love in our hearts, the Spirit is with us. Once we have set our eyes on God, even if we fail, the Spirit is there to lead us back.

Perhaps the hardest lesson I have learned is that most often, the Spirit whispers. The Spirit is a tiny light on a dark night. Don’t wait for a bullhorn or a floodlight. Be attentive. The Spirit is at work always and in all ways. We need only to listen for Her voice of wisdom and love and then follow. 

In God’s Unending Love,