June 7th, 2015
Today we celebrate the awesome feast of the Body and Blood of Christ. It is our Catholic belief that Jesus Christ is truly present in the bread and the wine we receive in Holy Communion. This belief is shared by all the Orthodox churches, the High Anglicans and many of the Protestant churches that sprung from the Reformation. We believe that Jesus Christ is present, body, blood, soul and divinity in the host we receive and we make that our act of faith with our ‘Amen’ as we receive the host.
At Christmas we acknowledged Jesus in the poor and homeless child in the stable in Bethlehem. At each Mass we acknowledge Jesus in a simple piece of bread but we believe that bread is more than bread, wine is more than wine, they are the body and blood of Jesus.
Jesus told the people of Carpharum, I am the living bread come down from heaven. Unless you eat the flesh of the son of man and drink his blood you cannot have life in you. The people’s reaction to His words were,’ this is a hard saying and who can take it and we are told many of his followers walked with him no more.’
We believe Jesus is the bread of life without which we cannot survive as His followers.
I read somewhere about a situation in Germany after the second world war. It was a refugee camp for children who were completely lost – no mother or father, no family, no home, no country – they were just set adrift in the chaos of the time. In this camp good people tried to help them thru this trauma and restore them to physical and mental health. Most of these children suffered from nightmares, they would wake up screaming and shaking. One doctor came up with an idea. Before they went to bed they were given a good meal and then they were tucked into bed and each child was given a large piece of bread – they were told to save it until the next morning. The children began to sleep soundly after that because, after so many years of hunger and uncertainty as to their next meal, they finally had the assurance of food for the next day.
In a way this is what Jesus does for us as he offers us his flesh to eat, his blood to drink. This is how he answers the very prayer he taught us,’ give us this day our daily bread ‘He assures us that the nourishment we need when life becomes burdensome, when we worry and fret over important decisions, when we face family or personal conflicts, when we stumble and fall thru our own weaknesses, that nourishment will be there for us. Jesus gives himself totally to us but we might ask ourselves, do we give ourselves totally to him?
I celebrated a funeral for a long time parishioner. His sons and daughters were not much into the church and were looking at the possibility of skipping a funeral Mass and having a service at a funeral parlour. The choice was made for his children when the eldest son, while going through his father’s wallet found this prayer card. It read,’ dear master what a lesson for me. Even though the Mass is a re-offering of the sacrifice of the Cross, for me to please you at Mass I must offer it ‘in spirit and in truth’. The Mass must be my gift, my outward way of telling you of my love, otherwise I am bystander at Mass. I am like those people on Calvary who just watched it all out of curiosity. They stood there, my King, at that supreme moment in history and yet came away unaffected, unchanged, because they were only bystanders, not offerers. They didn’t worship in spirit and in truth. Lord the Mass is a beautiful act of love on your part to the Father. Let me make it my act of love too.
This prayer expresses a basic truth. The Mass involves an exchange of gifts. Take and eat, this is my body, take and drink, this is my blood. Our response is ‘Lord receive my gift to you – my total being, with all the blessing with which I have been blessed and all my self-inflicted wounds. As you give yourself to me I give myself to you. This must be our mindset, otherwise we are just bored, distracted bystanders uninvolved in the great exchange we celebrate.
As we continue to celebrate this feast of the body and blood of Christ we pray for ourselves and for each other that we be graced with the desire to give ourselves totally to Christ as he gives himself totally to us as he says ‘take and eat’ may our response be ‘this is my body, this is my life, I give it totally to you.
| Posted in Homily |
June 6th, 2015
The Music Ministry is sad to inform our community that Fletcher Agostino, cantor and choir director, is leaving us as of Sunday, June 14th. Fletcher has been with us for nine years, leading us in our sung prayers with his beautiful tenor voice and warm personality. Fletcher’s strengths have been a unique blend of gentle charisma, caring, faith, conviction, dedication, musical talent and leadership abilities. Fletcher recently received his PhD in Chemistry, and is taking a job in Edmonton. We wish him and his fiancée Jenny all the best, with grateful hearts and voices!
Sunday, June 28th after the 12:30 Mass
The Parish BBQ Picnic will be held on Sunday, June 28th after the 12:30 Mass in the parking lot. There will be hot dogs, games, face painting, lucky draws, music and more…
Tickets are $2 each.
Please bring your families, friends and neighbours to enjoy a summer afternoon with your parishioners.
We need volunteers to help and make this event happen. Please sign up by putting your name and phone number onthe sheets at the back of church. For more information, you may call Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
June 8th to June 13th 2015
MONDAY – GERRY HUGHES – Requested by Nora Kerr TUESDAY – RITA JOSEPH – Requested by Margaret & Yasmin WEDNESDAY – MARTIN CODD – Requested by Margaret Anne Leckie & Mary Alice O’Mahony THURSDAY – KIM SE DONG – Requested by Cecilia FRIDAY – MEADARD DAIGNAN – Requested by Nora Kerr SATURDAY – JOHN & CHRISTOPHER DI LALLO – Requested by Val Palazzo
As a sign of respect for the celebrant and others attending Mass, please do not let your children roam around freely during the liturgy.
Cardinal Collins recently announced that the grade level of those eligible for Confirmation will change from Grade 8 to Grade 7. In the transitional phase of the 2015 – 2016 academic year, all children in Grade 7 and 8 will be prepared for and will receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Accommodating the increased number of candidates will be a challenge but by mid June, we hope to have a clearer idea of how we will approach this unique situation.
If your child is currently in Grade 6 or 7, please watch our bulletin or check our website for further information. The process for Confirmation preparation for students entering Grade 7 and 8 will begin in September 2015.
There will be a second collection for Marygrove Camp for Girls next weekend at all the Masses Marygrove Camp is a residential camp situated on 39 acres of beautifully treed grounds and a quarter mile of Georgian Bay waterfront, near Penetang, Ontario. This summer, 1,100 girls from less fortunate families will be attending camp. Please support this important work of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul. Each and every child’s camping experience is fully subsidized through this collection. Thank you for your support! Envelopes are in the pews
Working Working wonders for people in our homes and parishes…
“You do not have to look far to see the wonders being worked by ShareLife… in the pews of your parish, in the homes on your street, in your neighbourhood.” ShareLife agencies provide competent, faith-informed care to those who turn to them for help, regardless of their beliefs or background. Last year, over 381,000 services were provided to over 114,000 people in our Archdiocese in more than 20 languages, receiving the compassion, care and respect they rightly deserve.
In addition, countless others were assisted through outreach programs around the world.” —Thomas Cardinal Collins, Archbishop of Toronto
ShareLife, 2014: $220,250. ShareLife to Date: $133,423
Thank you for your generosity. Together we can work wonders!
Each month the food we collect is sent to Rosalie Hall or the Good Shepherd Centre. As summer approaches, food donations tend to drop off. These donations are more important than ever as families struggle to make ends meet. Please check the expiry dates before donating since we cannot pass on food that has expired. Thank you for your ongoing support.
Thank you to the volunteers who prepared 50 casseroles for May. For June, your prepared casseroles (frozen please) will be collected at the Masses on the weekend of June 27th/28th for delivery to the Good Shepherd Centre.
At this time of year, the number of casseroles tends to drop off as many people are away on holidays. More volunteers are needed to help feed the hungry in our city. Please pick up a copy of a one of the three casserole recipes and a pan from the Parish Office and give it a try. The recipes are also available on the St. Gabriel’s website. Remember to mark the label on the pan lid with the name of the casserole. For more information, please contact Irene Albrecht at 416 221-2791
Monday, June 8th at 7:30 PM
Temple Har Zion
Mosaic Interfaith invites you to attend the next presentation in their series “From Abraham Three Faiths” at Temple Har Zion, 7360 Bayview Avenue on Monday June 8th at 7.30 PM.
The subject is “Can You Be a Secular Jew/Christian/Muslim? The Impact of the Secular on our Religious Traditions” Panelists as before are Rev. Canon John Hill, Rabbi Michael Stroh and Dr. Liyakat Takim from Christianity, Judaism and Islam respectively. See flyer on bulletin boards. For more information or to RSVP call Nora 416-218 0680.
4 Tuesdays beginning June 9th from 9:45 to 11:00 AM
St. Bonaventure Parish, 1320 Leslie Street
St. Bonaventure’s Parish is hosting a four-week reflective and interactive scripture study, Discerning the Holy Spirit in St. Luke’s Parables. Liturgical prayer, contemplation and fellowship in the Holy Spirit will be emphasized in understanding the powerful message presented by Luke.
For more information, contact the Office of Formation for Discipleship at 416-934-3400, ext. 523
Saturday, June 13th at 7:30 PM
St. Lukes’s Church, 39 Green Lane, Thornhill.
A concert, performed by the Vocal Horizons Chamber Choir featuring Film and Orchestral arrangements for voices will be held at St. Luke’s Parish, 39 Green Lane in Thornhill on Saturday, June 13th at 7:30 PM. Admission is free but donations would be appreciated.
For more information call 416-725-7973 or email info@vocalhorizons.com.
June 20th to June 23rd
There are still a few spaces left on the 4 day pilgrimage to Montreal and Quebec. The group will be accompanied by Fr Daren Bryk from June 20th to June 23rd. The group will leave Blessed Trinity with a pickup at St Timothy Church. The cost is $349 per person.
For more information, contact Mary 416-497-7059
Weekend of June 13th/14
Many of you may remember that the parishioners of St. Gabriel’s made a generous contribution, through a bake sale and personal donations, to building a school in Corail, Haiti (in the vicinity of Port-au-Prince) for children of displaced citizens after the 2010 earthquake. The school was built through the fundraising efforts and personal involvement of two of our parishioners, Eric and Helen Pierre.
St. Paul de Corail School opened with 2 classes in 2013 and 3 more classes in 2014. The school presently serves approximately 165 children and is also used for adult education after school hours. Due to the desperate need for schools and community facilities in the area, the present goal is to add a second floor to the school with five new classrooms.
Eric and Helen are seeking help again from their fellow parishioners. If you enjoy the sweet things in life, please join them at a Bake Sale on the weekend of June 13th/14th after all the Masses. There will be sweets of every kind, as well as an opportunity to speak with members of Pierspective Entraide Humanitaire, the organization they spearheaded, about Haiti and their school construction projects.
Wednesday, June 17th at 7:00 PM
St. Monica’s Parish Hall
Catholic Cemeteries and the Archdiocese estate planning team will share: How to protect your loved ones with a proper will How to ensure your wishes are legally protected The advantage of pre-arranging funeral, burial and cremation The cost savings of making an estate plan Finding lawyers and estate planning advisors Our Catholic traditions around wills, burials and funerals.
An estate planning kit will be provided at no cost. Refreshments will be provided. RSVP to Frank Jannetta, Catholic Cemeteries and Funeral Services – Archdiocese of Toronto at 416.733-8544 ext. 237 or fjannetta@ccat.on.ca
Saturday, June 20th from 9:30 AM to 12:00 Noon
Catholic Pastoral Centre, 1155 Yonge Street, 4th Floor
Catholic Family Services of Toronto and New Beginnings invite you to an Appreciation Breakfast on Saturday, June 20th from 9:30 AM to 12 Noon at the Catholic Pastoral Centre. The guest speaker will be Dr. Josephine Lombardi, Assistant Professor, St. Augustine’s Seminary. She will speak about the Influences that Shape our Personalities. Please pre-register for this event, by contacting mbenincasa@cfstoronto.com or phoning 416-921-1163 x 2235.
Our operating expenses average $14,550 per week.
Collection for Last Weekend Envelopes 371 $ 7,897 Loose Change 990 Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving 164 3,117 Total 562 $ 12,004 Maintenance Collection $4,405 Nepal Relief Fund $15,029
| Posted in Bulletin |
May 31st, 2015
Today we celebrate the feast of the Holy Trinity. This is a mystery basic to our faith as Christians – this is the mystery that separates us from the great faiths of Judaism and Islam. They too believe in the one God, the Father of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. But we believe that the “ God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob loved us so much He sent His Son to the world – not to condemn the world – but in order that the world, that we might be saved thru him.
We call the Trinity a mystery – a mystery is not something of which we can know nothing – a mystery is something of which we cannot know everything. Even when we see God face to face we will not, we cannot completely comprehend the wonder of God – for God is beyond the limited capabilities of our human minds.
What this mystery teaches us in that the inner life of God is a life of relationships – Father, Son and Holy Spirit. We pray in the Mass – all life, all holiness comes from you Father, thru your son Jesus Christ our Lord, by the workings of the Holy Spirit. And thru God’s goodness – shown us in the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Christ – we are invited into those relationships – when we are baptized God’s Holy Spirit is poured into our very being and gives us the boldness to call God – Father/Mother – God’s Holy Spirit permeates our very being, molding and fashioning us into the image of God’s Son Jesus Christ. St.Paul tells us in our second reading ‘The Spirit bears witness to our spirit that we are children of God.’
The creative, life giving, love giving relationship of the Trinity is to be the model of all our relationships – our very existence springs from the creative love relationship of our mother and father. Our whole lives are lived in relationship – the life and death of each of us has its influence on others. We do not go thru life untouched or un-touching.
Instead of trying to sort out the mystery of the Trinity we can use this feast as the occasion of our personal examination as to how creative, how life giving, how healing we are in our relationships – husband/ wife – mother/ father – brother/ sister / friend or lover / neighbour/stranger. On this feast of the Trinity we can ask the question – in my relationships am I a source of life, love, growth, healing, forgiving. Do I enrich the lives of others by my friendship – are people better people thru their friendship with me? Do I encourage, foster the gifts and abilities of others. Do I give my spouse, my sons or daughters, my friends, the freedom to be themselves, to find their own way? Is my friendship strong enough that I am willing to confront or face up to issues that are not healthy, that can weaken my relationship? In any and all of my relationships am I dependable, trustworthy, and faithful?
Forming and maintaining good healthy relationships is not easy. Friends ‘fall out ‘husbands and wives split, parents and children are alienated. That’s why it’s important to question ourselves – am I a control freak – am I a demanding person, a needy person, do I try to manipulate, dominate family or friends. Does everything have to center of me? Living in healthy, life giving relationships is a life time task. When all is said and done – our whole lives will be judged on how we lived our many relationships – with family, friends or strangers – These are the facts by which our lives will be judged – I was hungry, thirsty, naked, sick, imprisoned – and you were there for me – welcome into the eternal life giving relationship of Father, Son and Spirit – for as often as you did these things to one of these, the least of mine, you did it to me.
Sometime this year Pope Francis will be issuing a letter to the world on the matter of the environmental crises facing us all but denied by many. We really have messed up our relationships with the rest of Earth’s life systems, systems that support and sustain our lives. To satisfy our need for more and more we have polluted Earth’s lakes and rivers with our wastes from pulp mills and mines. We’ve polluted Earth’s air with toxic fumes and the soil with pesticides. We’ve ignored the fact that we are not lords of creation; we are kin with all other life forms on our common home, Mother Earth. You’ve heard me say this many times, ‘the earth does not belong to us, we belong to the earth and what we do to the earth we do to ourselves. We did not weave the web of life; we are a strand in the web and what we do to the web we do to ourselves. We humans have placed a great strain on our relationships with the rest of God’s good creation. The church calls us to live simply that others may simply live and to see that Earth’s bounty is shared equally by whole human family.
As we continue to celebrate this feast of the Blessed Trinity, this feast of relationships we pray for the ability to always live in holy, life giving, life sustaining, life healing relationships with all those who come into our lives.
Congratulations to the following young people of our Parish who were confirmed on Sunday, May 24th, 2015. The Sacrament was administered by Rev. Fr. Brando Recana C.P.
Chloe Gabreille Aguila Julia Francesca Aguiar Judy Akhras Naia Nicole Aquino Dennis Bagayawa Darya Barghian Marjor Bento Sabrina Berih Rachel Beyfuss Leonardo Blanco Rutty Aaron Cappuccio Simeon Charles Stephanie Chen Wilton Choi Aidan Cooke Liam Corelli Adrian Diaz Spencer Doraty Anya D’Souza Dante Farinha-Eliahou Gabrielle Marie Ferrer Thomas French Dominic Guzzo Eugene Jang Clarissa Jepson Bianca Junio Jasmine Neriza Lagula Gerardo Jose N. L. Layug Cassandra Francesca Lazzer Jonathan Lee Luke Myeongjun Lee Klara Matic Ethan McKinley Drewmore Moon Sanghyun Park Anna Perugini Laurel Pierroz-Wong Julie Pimentel Jeffrey Predie Mara Primucci Hannah Routledge Joshua Sanelli Jordan Sinclair Cristina Socas Kaedreena Thomas Rodrigo Yabut Matthew Yau Nathan Yung
Let us pray for them as they continue on their journey of faith guided by the Holy Spirit.
Cardinal Collins recently announced that the grade level of those eligible for Confirmation will change from Grade 8 to Grade 7. In the transitional phase of the 2015 – 2016 academic year, all children in Grade 7 and 8 will be prepared for and will receive the sacrament of Confirmation. Accommodating the increased number of candidates will be a challenge but by mid summer, we hope to have a clearer idea of how we will approach this unique situation.
If your child is currently in Grade 6 or 7, please watch our bulletin or check our website, www.stgabrielsparish@bellnet.ca for further information. The process for Confirmation preparation for students entering Grade 7 and 8 will begin in September 2015.
June 1st to June 6th 2015
MONDAY – FERNANDO LASA – Requested by Ana Maria & Family TUESDAY – MARCELINO FERNANDES – Requested by Tita Fernandes WEDNESDAY – JOHN HUYBERS – Requested by the Family THURSDAY – ABANDONED SOULS – Requested by the Nguyen Family FRIDAY – FELIX CHAN – Requested by John Chan SATURDAY – A. B. DES ROCHES – Requested by Marion & Mark
Friday, June 5th from 9:30 AM to 12 Noon
English: Saturday, June 6th at 3:15 PM in the Gabriel Room. Chinese: Sunday, June 7th at 3:30 PM in the Gabriel Room. For information, please contact Linda Law at 416-918-8029.
The Archdiocese of Toronto is accepting financial contributions for humanitarian relief following the catastrophic effects of a serious earthquake on April 24th The earthquake, measuring 7.8 on the Richter scale, and aftershocks have devastated huge areas of the country, with more than 7,000 people reported dead, many more injured and thousands of families displaced from their homes.
Relief workers from the official Catholic relief agency on the ground, Caritas Internationalis, say the victims most need temporary shelter, water, sanitation and hygiene supplies as relief operations gear up. So far, Caritas organizations around the world have pledged $3.3 million to the relief effort as well as providing 10,000 shelter kits and 3,000 tarps.
Those wishing to help may do so in the following ways:
Online through the Archdiocese of Toronto website: www.archtoronto.org By phone through the Development Office – 416-934-3411 Through the parish, making cheques payable to: St. Gabriel’s Parish – Nepal Earthquake – Humanitarian Relief
Donations to Date: $14,859
Working wonders for those in our community…
“I searched the internet for “help young mother pregnant Mississauga” and I found Vita Centre. I was shocked to find out that there were complete strangers willing to help and guide young mothers to success. Even the resources that I have learned about from my counsellor has saved me so much time and hassle, and has given me hope that things will get better no matter how tough it may feel.” shares Alyssa, who as a young mom, is now experiencing a brighter future, thanks to ShareLife-supported Vita Centre. Last year, over 6,300 young parents received the care, counselling and educational support they needed to care for themselves and their new families.
ShareLife, 2014: $220,250. ShareLife to Date: $124,272
Did you know that milk bags can be cut, looped and woven into sleep mats for individuals or families in developing countries? Schools churches and senior homes throughout the Greater Toronto Area would welcome your contributions. Please drop the colourful outer bags in the bin located in the gathering space. Please make sure that the bags are clean and dry.
For further information about this program please visit www.milkbagsunlimited.ca or contact Sharon Gusz at sharongusz@gmail.com.
It is important for you to know that to be hired to teach in any Catholic School Board in Ontario, as part of your application for employment, there must be a letter of reference from your pastor.
If you are planning to apply to teach in a Catholic School, a contact with the pastor is highly recommended. Please plan to have a conversation with your Pastor early in the process, well before applications are to be submitted.
Monday, June 1st from 5:30 to 7:00 PM
Newman Centre, 89 St. George Street
All are welcome to learn more about Catholic teaching on end-of-life care. The talk will be delivered by Dr. Bridget Campion, Bioethicist and Researcher with the Canadian Catholic Bioethics Institute. There will be opportunity for Q & A and discussion followed by a short reception. To register contact Sonal Castelino at sonal.castelino@newmantoronto.com.
Catholic Parents of Lesbian Daughters and Gay Sons Saturday, June 6th from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM Scarboro Missions, 2685 Kingston Road
A retreat for Catholic parents of lesbian daughters and gay sons will be held at the Scarboro Missions, 2685 Kingston Road on Saturday, June 6th.The cost for the day including lunch is $40.00.
For Brochure and information call John Montague at 416-523-6449.
Monday, June 8th at 7:30 PM Temple Har Zion
Mosaic Interfaith invites you to attend the next presentation in their series “From Abraham Three Faiths” at Temple Har Zion, 7360 Bayview Avenue on Monday June 8th at 7.30 PM. The subject is “Can You Be a Secular Jew/Christian/Muslim? The Impact of the Secular on our Religious Traditions” Panelists will be Rev. Canon John Hill, Rabbi Michael Stroh and Dr. Liyakat Takim from Christianity, Judaism and Islam respectively. See the flyer on the bulletin boards. For more information or to RSVP call Nora at 416-218 0680.
Saturday June 6th from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM ST PATRICK’S PARISH, Markham
You are invited to attend the annual year end meeting of the Toronto Development and Peace organization on Saturday, June 6th. There will be a presentation on our relief work following the earthquake in Nepal.
Then Guest Speaker, Rev. Riscylla Shaw, an Anglican priest will speak on the topic: “Reconciliation…it matters to all of us” to mark the closing of the five year Truth and Reconciliation Commission (www.trc.ca) initiated by the survivors of Residential schools in Canada. The meeting will be from 10:00 AM to 3:30 PM on Saturday, June 6th at St Patrick’s Parish, 5633 Hwy #7, Markham. Lunch will be provided.
RSVP to Patricia Griffith at pcouscous@bell.net.
Tuesdays, June 9th, 16th, 30th; July 7th from 9:45 to 11:00 AM St. Bonaventure Parish, 1320 Leslie Street
For more information, contact the Office of Formation for Discipleship at 416-934-3400, ext. 523.
Collection for Last Weekend
Envelopes 404 $ 8,382 Loose Change 1,753 Weekly Portion of Pre-Authorized Giving 166 3,153 Total 570 $ 13,288
May 23rd, 2015
In our first reading Luke’s tells us what happened to the early Christian church on the Jewish feast day called Pentecost. Imagine being gathered together with fellow believers to praise and thank God in the breaking of the bread. All knew that Jesus had returned to his father. They were told they were to wait for another gift from God, the Holy Spirit who would keep fresh in their minds the things that Jesus said and did.
And suddenly we hear a sound as of a violent wind blowing, filling the whole house. People who lived through a tornado often describe it as the sound of a roaring train passing through. It must be frightening and confusing. You are at the mercy of the elements. Luke then tells of strange tongues of fire settling gently on all present and something deep within them happened. They were changed, transformed, emboldened. They came to see as never before who Jesus was and what his passion, death and resurrection were all about and they were driven out into the streets compelled to tell others all about Jesus the crucified, Jesus the risen one.
Each one of us received the Holy Spirit at our Baptism when through the pouring of water and the saying of the words, ‘I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit’ the Holy Spirit was poured into our very being giving each of us the boldness to call God “Father’. The gift of the Spirit was strengthened and renewed when we were anointed by the Bishop and given the gifts of the Spirit – wisdom, understanding, courage, reverence, right judgement, knowledge and wonder and awe. These gifts are meant to help live lives as faithful followers of Christ in the face of life styles and values that would have us live our lives as if God did not exist. The gifts wisdom and understanding sensitize us to wrongs that are so much a part of today’s society, today’s world; the intolerance and vindictiveness of religious fanatics who blow up mosques and churches and slaughter those who do not see God as they see God. The gifts of right judgement and knowledge help us recognize the sins against justice that affect the lives of men and women who struggle to raise a family on an unfair minimum wage or holding down two if not three part time jobs. The gifts of reverence, wonder and awe help us realize how misguided our present government’s denial and resistance to acknowledge the environmental and ecological crises the world community faces. The question for each one of is, are this gifts operative in the daily living of our lives? Do we support movements that call for justice for the poor or justice for planet Earth?
Do you feel or are you aware of the presence of the action of the Holy Spirit in your life? We might say that Pentecost was a pretty violent experience in the lives of the men and women who were there in that room behind locked doors. After their transforming experience of being seized by the Holy Spirit they burst out of that room, gifted with many tongues and proclaimed to all God’s deeds of power.
There are men and women who are in the charismatic movement who sometimes experience the wonder of that first Pentecost, who pray in the Spirit or speak in tongues. I’m not one of them. I survive with the conviction that the Holy Spirit works in most of our lives by nudging us, a little push now and then to be more patient, kind or understanding towards spouses, children. Maybe we’re nudged to make a phone call, drop a note, or make a visit to a house bound friend. Maybe we are touched by the idea to pray for people with cancer, especially children. Maybe we are nudged toward a deeper consciousness of the unfairness and desperation that darkens the lives of so many people. Maybe the Holy Spirit pokes us to think about the desperation of the men, women and children in the refugee camps in the Middle East or the coast of Italy. I like to think this is how the Holy Spirit is alive and well in us in the ordinary living of our ordinary lives.
We are good people but sometimes we get distracted by the soap operas of our lives that we forget the important things, the important people.
In Paul’s letter to the Galatians he tells of the fruits of the flesh; the fruits of those who live only for themselves, people who will not inherit the kingdom of God, they are fornication, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy anger, quarrels and factions. Paul compares these to the fruit of the Spirit, people who respond to the nudges of the Spirit, they are; love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self- control. If these are in our lives then the Holy Spirit is with us.
I read this recently, ‘Why do we not act like people who have God within us? Well, like anything planted so deep, the Spirit’s presence must be given a lot of time to make its way into our words, our actions, our deeds. Whenever we find patches of charity or joy in ourselves, or patience and kindness, or the ability to endure hardships and injuries; when we are tempted toward mildness and modesty, then we can be sure that the Holy Spirit is at work within us.’
Maybe we have to say to ourselves – be patient, the Spirit is not finished with me yet.
Founded by St. Paul of the Cross, every Passionist takes a special vow to spend his or her energies in promoting remembrance of the sufferings of Jesus, the memory of the Cross, and reflection of the meaning of the Cross for the world.
Learn about Passionists and our insignia »
Companion for the Walk of the Stations of the Cosmic Earth
St. Gabriel’s Garden – Guided Sensory Reflective Walk
