Pentecost
May 23rd, 2010
"Ask and you will recieve so that your joy will be complete "
John 16 : 25
Pentecost What a very beautiful feast!! It is indeed, a lovely season, this time after Easter through to Pentecost. I am referring especially to the readings from the Liturgy, in particular, the Acts of the Apostles and the choice of Gospel readings…have they not been a real treat??
The apostles and disciples were a group of frightened men, cowardly, confused, lacking in confidence after Jesus’ crucifixion and death. They just did not know what to do, where to go next. Then came the Holy Spirit at Pentecost and what a change that made in their lives in every sense. From a frightened group, they became convinced of what they were about, not a bit afraid to speak out in the name of Jesus, ready to give up all, even life, for the sake of the Name. They were now convinced, assured.
Today’s readings, especially the Acts of the Apostles, Chap 2: 1-11 and the Gospel of John 14:15-16, 23-26 are very uplifting, rewarding, helpful readings and worth giving some time to reflection .
Am I ready to receive again the gift of the Spirit this Pentecost?? It is a recurring event in my life…. How am I responding?? Take time to reflect and thank God for these wonderful gifts.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful, enkindle in them the fire of your love. We pray especially for all the young people in our country who are preparing for and doing examinations during these weeks.
Prayer
Prayer : O God our Father, we pray you, send your Spirit into our lives and by the flame of your wisdom open the horizons of our minds that we may always remain open to the work of your Spirit within each one of us. We make our
prayer….Amen.
The prayer for each day has been prepared by various members of the Holy Family Association. All who visit our website are remembered in prayer. If you would like us to pray for a particular need, simply complete and submit the form on the right hand side of this page. You may wish to leave a comment in the space below.
Just a Thought
How the Holy Family prayer: A Reflection by Pope Benedict XVI
“I would like to invite you to reflect on the place of prayer in the life of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The home of Nazareth, in fact, is a school of prayer where we learn to listen, to ponder and to penetrate the profound meaning of the manifestation of the Son of God, drawing our example from Mary, Joseph and Jesus.
Pope Paul VI during his visit to Nazareth said “we come to understand the need for a spiritual discipline, if we wish to follow the teaching of the Gospel and become disciples of Christ.” And he added: “First, it teaches us silence. Oh! That there would be reborn in us the esteem for silence, that wonderful and indispensable atmosphere of the spirit: while we are deafened by so many noises, sounds and clamorous voices in the frantic and tumultuous times of modern life. Oh! Silence of Nazareth, teach us to be resolute in good thoughts, intent upon the interior life, ready to listen well to the secret inspirations of God and the exhortations of the true masters.”
We can glean several insights on the Holy Family’s prayer and relationship with God from the Gospel accounts of Jesus’ childhood. We may begin with the Presentation of Jesus in the temple. St. Luke tells us that Mary and Joseph, “when the time came for their purification according to the Law of Moses, brought the child up to Jerusalem to present him to the Lord”(2:22). Like every observant Jewish family, Jesus’ parents go up to the temple to consecrate the firstborn son to God and to offer sacrifice. Moved by fidelity to the law’s prescriptions, they set off from Bethlehem and go up to Jerusalem with Jesus, who is now forty days old. Instead of a one-year-old lamb, they present the offering of simple families; that is two young pigeons. The Holy Family’s pilgrimage is one of faith, of the offering of gifts, a symbol of prayer, and of encounter with the Lord, whom Mary and Joseph already see in the son Jesus.”
