01-Jun-2014 Dear Friend,
"Come alive with..!" Advertisements invite us to try their products, which they promise, will revitalize us. Perhaps we have tried them all only to find the promises never materialize. Yet we are forever on the lookout for something that will pep up our drooping spirits, something that will bring fresh energy into our lives. Pentecost holds out a promise given by Jesus that His Spirit will bring us new life. Have a spirit-filled weekend! -Fr. Jude Sunday Reflections: Feast of Pentecost Renewed in mind, body and Spirit 08-Jun-14 Readings: Acts 2: 1-11; Corinthians 12: 3-7; 12-13; John 20: 19-23; The first reading of today describes Pentecost, celebrated fifty days after Easter, the feast of the harvest or first fruits. Luke describes this beginning of the Church with signs and symbols of wind, sound, fire and tongues. All these symbols would not have been strange to the Jews. The Spirit of God blew over the waters at creation and breathed life. God appeared frequently in the Jewish scriptures in the form of fire. The symbol of tongues is understood as communicating a heavenly gift. The Spirit that descends on the apostles instructs, inspires, and strengthens all who receive the Spirit. The greatest gift of the Spirit is the transformation it brings in the lives of the apostles changing them from frail, frightened followers, to becoming bold and fearless witnesses of the resurrection. The Spirit makes us born again Christians. In the Front Once, a mother took a five- year-old son with her to a concert by Ignace Paderewski, the great Polish pianist. The mother and her son got their seats close to the stage. Then the mother met her old friend and got involved talking with her. She failed to notice that her son had slipped away to do some exploring. At the right time the lights dimmed and the spot light came on. Only then did the mother see her five-year-old son on the stage, sitting on the piano bench, innocently picking out "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little star." Before she could retrieve her son, Paderewski walked on to the stage. Walking over to the piano, he whispered to the boy, "Don't stop, keep playing." Then, leaning over the boy, Paderewski reached out his left hand and began to fill in the bass. Later, he reached around the other side of the boy and added a running obbligato. Together, the great maestro and the tiny five-year-old mesmerized the audience with their playing. The image of the great maestro and the tiny five-year-old at the piano makes a fitting image of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples. On the first Pentecost the Holy Spirit whispered encouragement to the disciples. The Holy Spirit transformed the feeble efforts of the disciples into something powerful. John Pichappilly in 'The Table of the Word' The Gospel from John has a brief description of the appearance of the Risen Lord to the disciples and the promise of the coming of the Holy Spirit. This is perhaps a reminder that the Resurrection and Pentecost are phases of one and the same mystery. Firstly, we are reminded that the coming of Jesus and His Spirit is solely the initiative of God and not due to our efforts, our goodness, or our prayers. Like Jesus, the Spirit comes to whomsoever he wishes to empower. Like Jesus, the Spirit breaks through any barriers we may put up out of fear. Jesus came to bring peace and reassurance to his frightened disciples: "Peace be to you!" His Spirit comes to fill us with his peace and joy. Today's gospel ends on a note of forgiveness. When Jesus comes into our life, he renews and recreates us and we are assured of his forgiveness. The Holy Spirit comes to confirm the merciful forgiveness of God. Though the Spirit can come of its own free will into our lives, God's spirit does not force its way into our lives. We are called to receive and welcome the Spirit in our lives. Secondly, the reception of the Spirit is tied to forgiveness given and received. In the Holy Spirit we are forgiven and in the power of the Holy Spirit we can forgive anyone who has caused us harm. A Living Message Vincent Van Gogh was not always an artist. In fact, he wanted to be a church pastor and was even sent to the Belgian mining community of Borinage in 1879. He discovered that the miners there endured deplorable working conditions and poverty-level wages. Their families were malnourished and struggled simply to survive. He felt concerned that the small stipend he received from the church allowed him a moderate lifestyle, which, in contrast to the poor, seemed unfair. One cold February evening, while he watched the miners trudging home, he spotted an old man staggering toward him across the fields, wrapped in a burlap sack for warmth. Van Gogh immediately laid his own clothing out on the bed, set aside enough for one change, and determined to give the rest away. He gave the old man a suit of clothes and he gave his overcoat to a pregnant woman, whose husband had been killed in a mining accident. He lived on starvation rations and spent his stipend on food for the miners. When children in one family contracted typhoid fever, though feverish himself, he packed up his bed and took it to them. A prosperous family in the community offered him free room and board. But Van Gogh declined the offer, stating that it was the final temptation he must reject if he was to faithfully serve his community of poor miners. He knew that people's lives often speak louder and clearer than their words. Maybe it was that same knowledge that led Francis of Assisi to remind his monks, "Wherever you go, preach. Use words if necessary." Today, others will be "listening" carefully to your actions. Steve Goodier Unseen Guest Rossini was a great composer of music. He composed beautiful pieces of music and therefore the king of France presented him with a watch and he kept it in his show case with great pride. One day he showed it to his friend. His friend was surprised to know the real worth of the royal watch. He touched a button on the watch and a beautiful photograph of Rossini popped up. All stood in awe! Rossini had the watch for several years and did not know the value and the importance of the watch. Many people do not know much about the Holy Spirit and the importance of Him in our lives. Elias Dias in 'Divine Stories for families' To be Born Again A man was driving his aged mother to a funeral. She had already been to many funerals, having had to bury her own husband, brother and most of her friends. She also found herself without much money, in failing health and on the edge of a serious depression. As they drove along she talked of her own funeral and was giving instructions on how she wanted it done. Then quite unexpectedly she said: "I'm giving up on fear. Everyone dies." Her son protested, telling her that giving up on fear isn't easy to do, even as he realised at that very instant how much his whole life was bound up precisely by fear: -fear of sickness, fear of death, fear of losing his job, his good looks, his status, his friends. He looked at his mother and saw that she was beaming. He knew she meant exactly what she had just said. They never had that conversation again, but from that moment on he noticed his mother began to change. She was no longer afraid to speak her mind on anything, and she spoke it calmly, wisely, without pomp and with an ever-growing compassion. She became stronger and more gentle, both at the same time. People were attracted to her and drew strength from her. Her son was one of those people and he began to visit her more frequently, not out of obligation now but because he needed the nourishment she was giving him. It was like a new umbilical cord had been forged between them. Slowly just as she had once given birth to his body, she now gave birth to his spirit. He felt himself begin to change, to have less fear. This second gestation took more than nine months, but a new life was slowly born in him. He was able to 'give up on fear' and move into a life with freedom that, as Jesus says, comes only from above. John Shea, in 'Gospel Light', Crossroads The Holy Spirit clean-up job The Holy Spirit not only gives life but even brings dead bones to life. In Greek mythology we read about Hercules. He was noted for his strength. But he was a slave. Once he was told to clean the stables of Augeas which consisted of 3000 oxen. The stable had not been cleaned for 30 years and Hercules was told to do the job within a day. This was a herculean job to complete. He could not do it and so he directed the river Alpheus to run through the stable. The apostles themselves did a great job of cleaning and giving life to people by letting the Holy Spirit move into them. Elias Dias in 'Divine Stories for families' May our lives speak of the Spirit that is transforming us! Fr. Jude Botelho botelhoj...@gmail.com PS. The stories, incidents and anecdotes used in the reflections have been collected over the years from books as well as from sources over the net and from e-mails received. Every effort is made to acknowledge authors whenever possible. If you send in stories or illustrations I would be grateful if you could quote the source as well so that they can be acknowledged if used in these reflections. These reflections are also available on my Web site www.NetForLife.net Thank you.
