Discover the Holy Spirit’s gifts at confirmation.
Today the Church celebrates the Feast of Pentecost – a reminder of the
presence and action of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives. After His resurrection,
Jesus commissioned His disciples, saying, “As the Father has sent me, so I send
you.” He then breathed upon them, imparting the Holy Spirit. This moment in the
Gospel echoes the creation story where God breathed life into humanity. Just as
God’s breath brought Adam to life, the Holy Spirit fills our hearts, empowering us
to carry out our mission in the world with grace and love.
Today’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles illustrates the immediate
effect of the Holy Spirit’s arrival; we see the Disciples filled with the Spirit, boldly
proclaiming the Good News. Ordinary individuals were empowered to express
the wonders of God in various languages to diverse people. Recognizing that the
Holy Spirit dwells within us, makes each of us a temple of the Spirit. Embracing
this truth means acknowledging our call to carry forth the message of salvation in
our daily lives.
The Holy Spirit guides us to align with God’s will. Through prayer, we attune
ourselves to the whispers of the Spirit, which can lead us through life’s
challenges. The Spirit provides blessings that transform adversity into
opportunities, reminding us that every trial holds the potential for growth and
deeper faith. Being open to these blessings can reshape our perspectives and
witness God’s hand at work. The Holy Spirit also longs to reveal signs and
wonders that lead to conversion and repentance.
As we celebrate this Feast, let’s take a moment to renew our hearts and
strive to be living reflections of God’s glory. We are invited to rediscover the
unique gifts of the Holy Spirit that were bestowed upon us at confirmation:
wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord.
These gifts enrich our growth, as well as that of the Church and our community.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us allow the Holy Spirit to guide us as we
proclaim God’s wonders through our daily actions. By doing this, we become
instruments of God’s grace, each contributing to the mission of evangelization.
The signs of the Spirit’s work are not limited to miraculous events; they are also
visible in acts of kindness, justice, and love. Through active participation in the
life of faith, we can nurture a deeper awareness of the Holy Spirit’s gifts and
respond to the call to spread the Good News and bear witness to the
transformative power of God in our families, communities, and the world.Fr. Dominic Toan Tran, Pastor