Dear Friends:

The 50th day of Easter, Pentecost, the feast of the Holy Spirit. It is not an end; it is a beginning! Pentecost is the fulfillment of Christ’s promises, the Spirit is with us. We are not left orphans. Only those who understand what Christianity is all about can understand about the Spirit. Only those who have a living faith in God and in Jesus Christ can receive the Spirit. Only those who hunger for a good and decent life of loving and reaching out in the community of the Church will experience the indwelling and power of the Spirit. You are the ones who believe in Christ and have chosen to be part of His Church; you understand that Christ is alive and with you, that His Spirit is now in your life and leads and strengthens you. You know that Christ died for this, for us to be in His Spirit and to be in God.

This, then, is the mystery of our Christian lives: to live in the Spirit, to be called to reconciliation and forgiveness, to be a community in Christ, to be sent in Christ’s name to continue His mission. To live in the Spirit of God is the dream and hope of our lives; as Christians we already now experience the goodness of tomorrow.

The love of God has been poured into our hearts by His Spirit living in us.

Holy Spirit, Lord Divine,
Come, from heights of heav’n and shine,
Come with blessed radiance bright!

Light most blessed, shine with grace
In our heart’s most secret place,
Fill your faithful through and through.

Left without your presence here,
Life itself would disappear,
Nothing thrives apart from you!

Give us virtue’s sure reward,
Give us your salvation, Lord,
Give us joys that never end!

Amen, Alleluia