Pastor’s Letter: June 5

Pastor’s Letter: June 5

3 Jun 2022 | Posted by: chadmin

The June 5, 2022 bulletin is now available online. 

Dear friends,

Happy Feast of Pentecost! Prior to the New Testament celebration of the Holy Spirit coming from Heaven in tongues of fire, the Old Testament Pentecost celebrated the Torah and harvest. The Torah, or the Law given to Moses, represents the Divine will of God for the people. Celebrating the giving of this Law was often accompanied with the offering of the first harvest fruits. Fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus, the Christian notion of Pentecost occurs. Pentecost celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit and the beginning of the Church. The role and action of the Holy Spirit is maintained and grows the Church and individual Christians.

It is a bit easier to conceive of a relationship with Jesus in prayer because we can read his words in Scripture and envision Him as a Person we engage in conversation. Jesus reveals to us the relationship between He and the Father in many of Gospel passages. Like all relationships, our relationship with the Father and Son are contingent on how well we communicate. Communication with God is prayer. There are many forms of prayer, but its base level is talking to God about the happenings of daily life while asking for guidance, assistance, and perspective.

Prayer with the Holy Spirit can be a little more challenging. In the Bible, the personifications of the Holy Spirit are a dove or flames of fire. Conversing with a dove or a flame doesn’t carry the same feel as talking to the Father or Jesus. This is where the words of Jesus and the record of the Early Church are so significant. Jesus told the Apostles that he would “send the Holy Spirit from on high to remind them of everything” that he told them. When the Spirit came down upon the Apostles they were able to speak new languages and perform miraculous signs. For the Christian, it is important to pray to the Spirit in the same way we converse with the First and Second Persons. The Spirit is the active agent of God’s love. The Spirit nudges our minds and hearts with truth. The Spirit brings us the seven-fold gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord (wonder and awe). The Spirit helps with patience, kindness, and authenticity. As we pray this Pentecost Sunday, may we deepen our dialogue with the Holy Spirit in order to foster our attentiveness to Divine guidance. Have a great week.

God bless,

Father David