To the Christian, living life is analogous to using lenses. We live it as God envisioned it for us. Take the bifocal lenses for instance, they have an upper lens that improves our distance vision and a lower lens that supports close vision and reading. One must effectively negotiate the two lenses for better results and use. Progressive lenses, however, sharply blend the two lenses so well that it eliminates any disruption in sight when one looks at the distance and then at something up close. The smooth transition back and forth from the head down to the head up, including the space in the middle, supports better sight.
Tomorrow we begin the novena to the Holy Spirit. And as I have said, the novena to the Holy Spirit is a beautiful nine-day prayer time to get us prepared for Pentecost. You can use the format and prayers we are proposing for our parish. However, you choose any format and prayers that work for you.
Do you know your single most significant reason for being a Christian? It is to understand who Jesus is and glorify him. When we look at the life of Jesus and the early Christians, we understand that glorifying God encompasses four things: intellectual stimulation, stirring imagination, emotional deepening, and passion, which we receive from the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit refreshes us with these inner gifts.
Jesus sets the tone for his disciples to significantly desire the Holy Spirit by highlighting the significant responsibilities of the Spirit in the world of Christians— his task is convincing us of sin, righteousness, and condemnation.
The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the disciples on the day of Pentecost fulfilled the promise Jesus made to the apostles that he would ask the father to send another gift of his love to them and became the start of a new way God would unite himself with the souls of believers— God has made the Holy Spirit the sweet guest of our souls.
As the Easter season draws to a close, we know that its culmination will be another monumental event in the life of the Church and within us as Catholics—the feast of Pentecost. The Church gives us charming opportunities to prepare and celebrate all the magnificent events and mysteries in the Church—Advent prepares us for Christmas, and Lenten season for the Paschal Mystery and Easter—for unique experiences.
While being a Catholic and a disciple of Jesus entail believing and practicing many things, today’s liturgical texts make it clear that the “holy grail” is the sweet spot between sincere love for God and neighbor; love is the Christian’s sphere of influence.
A recent study showed that 22% of American workers had $5,000 or less saved for retirement, another 5% had less than $25,000 put away, and 15% had no retirement savings at all. It seems much easier and more enjoyable to keep spending our money— purchasing whatever we want without thinking and preparing for the future.
Today's liturgical readings from John's gospel and Acts are coincidentally each taken from chapter 14; however, it isn't easy to reconcile their contrasting core messages. Jesus told us: "Peace I leave with you; my Peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid." But then Paul tells us: "It is necessary for us to undergo many hardships to enter the Kingdom of God."
Paul set the stage for the gospel of Christ he has been ordained to preach by going through a list of Christians who experienced Christ at disparate times and levels while putting himself with the newbies: “Last of all, as to one born abnormally, he appeared to me.”
Today I want to talk about the need to prepare for the Father's house, taking our cue from the farewell message of Jesus to the disciples: "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You have faith in God; have faith also in me. In my Father's house there are many dwelling places…And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back again and take you to myself, so that where I am you also may be."