May 19, 2024

Dear Parish Family:

Happy and Blessed Pentecost!

50 days ago we celebrated the great feast of Easter—the day of the Lord’s Resurrection. Today, we celebrate God’s sending the Holy Spirit upon Jesus’ disciples after His Resurrection. Before Pentecost, the disciples were unsure of what they were to do next. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, they began to understand their mission to spread the Good News of Jesus and they had the courage to go and do it.

The Holy Spirit gives each of us gifts. These seven gifts help us to respond to the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, to make good choices, and to serve God and others. The Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit are:

Wisdom: knowing the right choices to make to live a holy life, helping us to avoid the things that could lead us away from God.

Understanding: grasping the meaning of the teachings of the Church and being sympathetic of others who are hurting or in need of compassion.

 Right Judgment (Counsel): being prudent in making choices to live as a faithful follower of Jesus.

 Fortitude (Courage): helps us stand up for our faith in Christ and overcome any obstacles that keep us from practicing our faith.

 Knowledge:  helps us to choose the right path that will lead us to God. It encourages us to avoid obstacles that will keep us from Him.

 Reverence (Piety): confidence in God that inspires us to joyfully want to serve God and others.

 Fear of the Lord (Wonder and Awe):  loving God so much that we do not want to offend Him by our words or actions.

This Pentecost, may the Holy Spirit stir up all those gifts in us.  May we use those gifts as we pray, believe, and live as disciples.

Love and prayers,

Father Neil Sullivan