Sunday, June 8, 2014

Solemnity of Pentecost

 Solemnity of Pentecost
In honor of the Holy Spirit - wear RED to holy Mass today!

Today is Pentecost. It is not merely a reminder of a past event, but a continuation of the Spirit renewing the face of the earth (Psalm 104:30). Today's Pentecost will not be a shadow of the first Pentecost, rather the first Pentecost is a shadow of today's Pentecost. God's grace is abounding all the more (Romans 5:20). The Spirit is not diminishing His work in our world, but increasing it. It will not be only thousands who come to Jesus today (Acts 2:41), but millions. The waters of the Spirit become deeper as they flow further around the world and into history (Ezekiel 47:5). 
 Come, Holy Spirit, Come!


The Holy Spirit "leads us to perceive the Lord’s presence and love in our lives, and moves us to respond joyfully in prayer and adoration."
- Pope Francis, 4 June 2014


 St Cyril of Jerusalem, in his Catecheses, states that we
"call upon God in His mercy
to send His Holy Spirit
upon the offerings before us,
to transform the bread into the Body of Christ
and the wine into the Blood of Christ.


Whatever the Holy Spirit touches is
sanctified and completely transformed."
  
 
 
The Pentecost Sequence, Veni Sancte Spiritus

Come, Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!

Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.

You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul’s most welcome guest;
Sweet refreshment here below;

In our labor, rest most sweet;
Grateful coolness in the heat;
Solace in the midst of woe.

O most blessed Light divine,
Shine within these hearts of yours,
And our inmost being fill!

Where you are not, we have naught,
Nothing good in deed or thought,
Nothing free from taint of ill.

Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
On our dryness pour your dew;
Wash the stains of guilt away:

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.

On the faithful, who adore
And confess you, evermore
In your sevenfold gift descend:

Give them virtue’s sure reward;
Give them your salvation, Lord;
Give them joys that never end.


"There is no greater freedom than that of allowing oneself 
to be guided by the Holy Spirit, renouncing the attempt 
to plan and control everything to the last detail, 
and instead letting him enlighten, guide, and direct us, 
leading us wherever he wills. 

The Holy Spirit knows well what is needed in every time and place. 
This is what it means to be mysteriously fruitful!" 

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