THE RADIANT GLORY OF GOD
Blessed 5th Sunday of Easter. Christ the Lord is truly risen, Alleluia!
In this week’s Eucharist, we are invited to experience the radiant glory of God – the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is the one who brings about unity and peace. In today’s 1st Reading from Acts 15:1-2,22-29, the Holy Spirit guided Barnabas & Paul to tackle the thorny & potentially divisive issue of the need for circumcision & observance of the Mosaic Law by Gentile Christians to gain salvation. This wisdom & guidance of the Holy Spirit was promised by Jesus in His Last Supper Discourse (John 13 to John 17) where our Gospel is taken from (John 14:23-29). Recall that Jesus said in Verse 26 that “The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you.” Indeed, the Spirit of God will always teach us & remind us all, who love Jesus & who keep His Word (cf John 14:23), of everything that Christ has spoken to us.
I think the questions all of us are faced with today & have to answer honestly are: Do you truly love Jesus? Do you keep His Word & does the Word of God guide & shape your daily decisions & actions? Do you experience God the Father, Jesus Christ His Son & the Holy Spirit, dwelling in you & in all areas of your life? Have you experienced the guiding light, wisdom & inspiration of the Holy Spirit, as you navigate the complexities, challenges & difficulties in your life? How can you experience more of this radiant glory of God, the Holy Spirit?
Last week, I shared from Part 1 of the talk I had given late last year to the Charismatic Groups of the Church of the Transfiguration & Church of the Risen Christ to bring the message of love & unity, titled ‘One Body One Spirit in Christ’. Here’s Part 2, starting from where we left off last week.
We have to “drink of the one Spirit”. This spiritual nourishment involves praying, yielding & surrendering to the Holy Spirit, reading the Word of God, gathering in community to pray & praise, & most importantly, celebrating the Eucharist. For ‘The Eucharist is the source & summit of the Christian life.’ (Catechism of the Catholic Church #1324). In listening to the Proclamation of the Word & receiving the Body & Blood of Christ at each Eucharistic celebration, our lives are renewed & transformed. We experience the great love of God for us & this will compel us to love & care for others.
The Holy Spirit is active & present throughout each Eucharistic celebration, particularly in the Eucharistic Prayer.
Twice during the Eucharistic Prayer, the priest invokes the Holy Spirit – in the Epiclesis of Consecration & the Epiclesis of Communion (after the Memorial Acclamation). I’m citing below an example each from the various Eucharistic Prayers.
Ø The Epiclesis of Consecration: “Make holy, therefore these gifts, we pray, by sending down your Spirit upon them like the dewfall, so that they may become for us the Body + Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.” (Eucharistic Prayer II)
Ø The Epiclesis of Communion: “Grant that we, who are nourished by the Body & Blood of your Son and filled with his Holy Spirit, may become one body, one spirit in Christ.” (Eucharistic Prayer III)
One core attitude we must have to receive the Holy Spirit to build communion & unity is HUMILITY.
The world tells us to be unique & different; to compete & excel; to think more highly of ourselves than of others; to crow about our achievements & put others down etc. All these work against the spirit & culture of Unity.
Here are the personal drives & motivations that the Holy Spirit will place in your heart for Love, Communion & Unity when you seek Him:
Ø Strive for peace instead of conflict
Ø Promote Love, rather than hatred
Ø Pardon & forgive
Ø End doubt; have Faith in the Lord
Ø Fight against despair; give Hope
Ø Light a candle instead of cursing darkness
Ø Dispel sadness, find Joy in Christ (‘Gaudete in Domino Semper – Rejoice in the Lord Always’ from Philippians 4:4)
Ø Not receiving consolation, but giving it
Ø Seek not to be understood but to understand 1st
Ø Not merely to be loved, but to give love
Ø Give 1st; then gifts will be given to you (cf Luke 6:38)
Ø Dying to sin & living New Life in Christ
Do the above sound familiar? I had paraphrased & adapted the text of the much-beloved Prayer of St Francis of Assisi to the points above.
So, my dear Brothers & sisters in the Lord, we really do need the help & guidance of the Holy Spirit. As Pentecost is fast approaching, let’s renew our commitment to remain in Jesus’ love (cf John 15:9), keep His Word (cf John 14:23), & receive the Holy Spirit (cf John 20:22).
Here’s a hymn that is so close to my heart – the Pentecost Sequence that we sing at Holy Family Church each Pentecost Sunday. Some background to this recording – it was done by my musical buddy Charles during the worst times of our lives – the Covid Circuit Breaker in 2020 when all of us couldn’t attend mass. But the Holy Spirit, in His great Divine Love for us all, came to our aid & ‘bestowed refreshing peace, gave us solace in the midst of woe, healed our wounds, renewed our strength, poured His dew upon our dryness, bent our stubborn hearts, melted our frozen hearts & warmed our chilled lives, & guided our steps when we were tempted & strayed.’ (text adapted from the Sequence Hymn of Pentecost) As you pray this beautiful hymn, may the Holy Spirit fill you to overflowing with His love & peace. Veni Creator Spiritus! Come Holy Spirit! Amen.
https://youtu.be/nEbY53CXI90?si=ATX6b17jCmQrZjKv
Article by Damian Boon, HFC Blog Team Lead