Dear Friend of Carmel Mission,
Today we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost, the birthday of our Church, when the Holy Spirit visited Jesus’ first disciples and empowered them to share the Good News of salvation. It is a visceral and inspirational story, the strong wind, the tongues of flame, and the sudden ability of the disciples to communicate in every language. But this was not the first appearance of the Holy Spirit. In the Gospel we are told that the Holy Spirit also visited Jesus Himself after His Baptism in the River Jordan, at the very beginning of His earthly ministry, appearing in the form of a dove. (Matthew 3:16). In Genesis, we hear that the Holy Spirit was there at the very act of creation, “Now the earth was formless and void, and darkness was over the surface of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the surface of the waters.” (Genesis 1:2)
The Holy Spirit’s presence at creation is significant. Often, we think of creation as being completed when God rested on the seventh day, but that was only the beginning. God’s creation is still unfolding today, and will continue to until the end of time. The transformation that the disciples experience on Pentecost empowers and inspires them to continue the work of creation by building up the Kingdom of God, and growing Jesus’ nascent Church. The same Spirit is at work in the world today, in you and in me, allowing us to participate in God’s creative work.
To be part of the ongoing work of God’s creation is a powerful opportunity, but with it comes awesome responsibility. Jesus knew that His disciples, both at the time of His life on earth, and those who would come after, would want desperately to succeed in this work, but, being human, we would struggle. The Holy Spirit comes to empower us to but also to comfort, to renew, and, as today’s Gospel says, “remind you of all I told you.” (John 14:26). I invite you to join me this Pentecost in opening our minds and our hearts to the gentle reminders of the Holy Spirit to grow in partnership with our creative God.
I wish you and your loved one’s blessings of good health, new hope, and great inspiration,
Fr. Paul
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