Embracing the Holy Spirit's Mission
Listening to the Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
shed a ray of light divine!
Come, Father of the poor!
Come, source of all our store!
Come, within our bosoms shine.
You, of comforters the best;
You, the soul’s most welcome guest;
sweet refreshment here below;
In our labor, rest most sweet;
grateful coolness in the heat;
solace in the midst of woe.
O most blessed Light divine,
shine within these hearts of yours,
and our inmost being fill!
Where you are not, man has naught,
nothing good in deed or thought,
nothing free from taint of ill.
Heal our wounds, our strength renew;
on our dryness pour your dew;
wash the stains of guilt away:
Bend the stubborn heart and will;
melt the frozen, warm the chill;
guide the steps that go astray.
On the faithful, who adore
and confess you, evermore
in your sevenfold gifts descend;
Give them virtue’s sure reward;
give them your salvation, Lord;
give them joys that never end.
Amen. Alleluia.
Listening to the Word
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
Reflection
Today, we celebrate the feast of Pentecost, a special day when we remember the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. When Jesus breathed on the disciples, it was not just a symbolic act or a mere assurance. It was an actual impartation of the Holy Spirit. "He breathed on them and said to them, 'Receive the Holy Spirit'" (Jn 20:22). On that day, the disciples' understanding was opened, and they began better understanding the Scriptures. It was just a small taste of what would come on the Day of Pentecost when they would be deeply filled with the Spirit. God loves to give us good things, and He always has more blessings in store for us.
The Holy Spirit is not just a concept or an idea. He is a real and powerful force. Just as Jesus breathed on the disciples and gave them new life, the Holy Spirit brings new life to us. When we receive the Holy Spirit, we become new people. Our old ways of thinking and doing things pass away, and we are transformed from the inside out. God has a unique plan for each of us, and He gives us the power of the Holy Spirit to accomplish that plan.
The disciples received the Holy Spirit as their equipment for a great mission. And what was that mission? It was to deal with sin, the root problem in the world. Jesus told His disciples: "Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained" (Jn 20:23). There are many problems in the world, like injustice, inequality, and brokenness. But Jesus came to address the root issue of sin. He wanted to change people's hearts and transform their lives. That's where the real change begins.
When we have the Holy Spirit within us, we can make a difference in the world. We can be agents of love, kindness, and truth. We can be bold in sharing our faith and standing up for what is right. The Holy Spirit empowers us to live as faithful followers of Jesus.
Let us pray that the Holy Spirit may descend upon us today and fill us with His presence and wisdom. May He guide, inspire, and help us fulfill the mission that God has for each of us. May we be filled with the Spirit's gifts and use them to bring glory to God and blessings to others.
Reflection Questions
Gospel Reflections
Allowing Jesus to Change Us
Who Is Jesus for Me? From Encounter to Mission
