Filled with the Holy Spirit
Let us resolve to live out more consistently the gifts of the Holy Spirit that have been indelibly marked on our souls in Baptism and Confirmation. Many people admit to not actively praying to the Third Person of the Most Holy Trinity the way that we so often pray from the heart to the Father or the Son.
Why is Pentecost important?
Our whole lives after the Sacraments of Initiation are truly a “time after Pentecost” in proximate preparation for heaven. How good it is, then, that everything charity demands that we give to God and neighbor, God wants to first give to us from the infinite supply of His gifts.? Are we then willing to ask daily for the help of the Holy Spirit in a concrete way? The liturgy of Pentecost makes it extremely easy to ask, just by making the ancient words of the Sequence for Pentecost Sunday, Veni, Sancte Spiritus, our own. In reality, we all face a daily spiritual battle, and this ancient hymn reminds us to simply ask for God’s good gifts, and not to act as if we are fighting alone. The Holy Spirit pours light into dark and fearful places.
Reflection on The Holy Spirit
Hear the following excerpts, then, as a renewed invitation to invite the Holy Spirit into your daily blessings and trials:
In fletu, solatium – “in our tears give us solace.”
How often do we allow adversity to steal our inner peace? Do we ask the Holy Spirit to help us handle our sorrows in the same way that Mary did not lose hope at the foot of the Cross on Good Friday?
O lux beatissima, reple cordis intima tuorum fidelium – “O Most Blessed Light, fill up the inmost heart of Your faithful ones.”
If we beg the light of the Holy Spirit to completely fill us, then with our hearts enlightened by Him, the darkness has nowhere to go but away.
Lava quod est sordidum – “wash me, cleanse me from what is unclean.”
Riga quod est aridum – “water, what is dry and arid, my dryness in the spiritual life, pour Your heavenly dew over it!”
Sana quod est saucium – “heal what is wounded.”
In healing the typical wounds that afflict our hearts, we then ask Him:
Flecte quod est rigidum – “bend what is rigid.”
Fove quod est frigidum – “warm what is frigid.”
Rege quod est devium – “rule what is deviant.”
Finally, always keeping the goal of heaven chiefly in mind, we beg:
Da virtutis meritum – “give us the reward of living virtue.”
Da salutis exitum – “give us salvation upon exiting this life.”
Da perenne gaudium – “give us perennial, never-ending joy.”
Amen. Alleluia!
May we allow the purifying fire of the Holy Spirit to convict our hearts in a powerful way, and move us to courageously witness to how God has rescued us with His Mercy and lets the Light of the Spirit radiate in our lives.
