Come, Holy Spirit!
This will be the last Faith Formation Newsletter before our summer break. I can’t think of a better way to close this complicated, difficult, challenging year, than to focus on the Holy Spirit! It is in trusting the power of the Holy Spirit in our lives that gives us the wisdom and strength to transform the difficult times we experience into occasions of grace and amplifies the natural joy that is to be found in the ordinary blessings of life. Perhaps, we appreciate that more than ever, after a year in a pandemic.
We just celebrated the Feast of Pentecost this past Sunday. Pentecost doesn’t get the attention of Christmas or have the pageantry of Easter. But it commemorates something very significant and important to us. Pentecost celebrates the Holy Spirit, tangible in our lives. There is amazing power in inviting the Holy Spirit into our hearts and our relationships. I invite you to trust that. Accepting the gifts of the Holy Spirit as true and real, changes us from the inside, out. Wisdom. Understanding. Knowledge. Courage. Counsel. Reverence. Wonder and Awe in God’s Presence. They are all ours! The impact of openness to belief in these gifts can’t be adequately described!
Those of us who were witness to our Confirmation celebration this spring know our hearts were lifted to witness 57 of our teens confirmed by Bishop Jeff Haines. After three years of preparation these young people were a beautiful sign of hope in the future. Our little children have these young adults to look up to as role models. No money can buy that kind of solid community in which to raise our children.
When confirming our faith, we each were sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We affirm our faith when we let the Holy Spirit direct our lives. How does that happen? Honestly, I learned it is as easy as asking for it. As we go about our daily lives we simply pray for an open heart and say, Holy Spirit, come and be with me here in this moment. Be with me, as I care for my children or talk with a friend or face a problem or pray by myself. And then watch how your life becomes better, more meaningful, more exciting, knowing the Spirit is so close! See your life become more peaceful, knowing you placed your troubles, challenges, and difficulties in God’s loving heart.
During the personal interviews each of our confirmands had, one of them said, “My faith is something that provides consistency in my life. That rock, that steady place, is something I deeply need.” I couldn’t have said it better! Come, Holy Spirit. Be with each of us!
