Dear Friends of Carmel Mission,
In the Gospel of St. John, Jesus very often greets his disciples with the words “Do not be afraid” with the salutation “Peace be with you”.
In the section of the Gospel proclaimed this weekend, He uses the greeting of Peace and also adds “Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid”. The disciples have need of reassurance.
He has told them that he is soon to leave them. Then Jesus promises to send them “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit”. What must they have thought? Was he leaving them in the hands of some first class law firm, like Nicora and Hespe, or Laura A. Davis? Not really! He was sending The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, whose divine wisdom would guide them, whose courage would enable them to remain faithful to Jesus, whose manifold gifts would banish their fears and enable them to embark on the risky adventure of being a witness to the Good News of Jesus Christ.
As we steadily approach the Feast of Pentecost, perhaps we could reflect on what it means to be Confirmed in the Spirit. We could learn much from our young people who will be Confirmed here at our beautiful Mission on June 9th, Pentecost Sunday, by Bishop Daniel Garcia.
They have been reflecting on the meaning of Confirmation, and frankly, I’ve been amazed at the profundity and the honesty of their insights.
I hope to share some of their insights with you soon.
Meanwhile, I ask that you keep our Confirmation Candidates in your prayers.
Blessings,
Fr. Paul