Last week we celebrated the Ascension, our Lord’s reentry into heaven to be with his Father and the Holy Spirit. This week, we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit to energize the apostles and the Church (Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7; John 20:19-23). The Holy Spirit also came to give guidance and unity to the Church. In the vigil reading from the Book of Genesis (Gn 11:1-9), we see the pride of early humanity in its desire to build a tower to the sky, The Tower of Babel, and make a name for themselves. Instead they should have been trying to develop a relationship with God. As a result of their sinful pride, God confused their language so that they were no longer able to communicate with one another. Their foolish venture came to an end as the multiplication of languages led to a division among the peoples and set the stage for tribal and national conflicts, which lead to the chaos and confusion that we see in the world today.
On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit was sent not only to unite the various factions of the Jews but also the Gentiles, as well. It worked for awhile in the Church, but then again division returned, and we have a divided world, country, and Church. Let us pray that the Holy Spirit will help humanity to heal the wounds of strife and division, as St. Augustine said, “In essentials unity, in non-essential liberty, in the all things charity.”
- Fr. Carl
“DIRECTLY anyone feels they are losing their fervor,
they should at once make a Novena to the Holy Spirit,
asking him to give them Faith and Love.”
~ Thoughts of the Cure D’Ars
