Credo in Spiritum Sanctum, Dominum et vivificantem
The time has come, our beautiful Easter Season has come to an end. We have spent the last 50 days in great celebration of the resurrected power of Jesus Christ! As we celebrate this beautiful feast of Pentecost, we are reminded of the transformative power of the Holy Spirit in our own lives as well as in the life of the Church.
We say in the words of the Nicene Creed each Sunday “I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of life” These are not just empty words, “these are words which the Church receives from the very source of her faith, Jesus Christ…where the whole Church proclaims her faith in the paraclete.” (DV, JP2 n.1) On the eve of our Lord’s Passion we hear “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you…the Advocate, the holy Spirit that the Father will send in my name—he will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you.” (John 14:16-17, 26)
St. Paul writes in the Letter to the Romans, “All who are led by the Spirit of God are Sons of God” (Rm 8:14). “These words suggest a further way of understanding the wonderful action of the Holy Spirit in our life as believers. They open the way for us to reach the human heart: the Holy Spirit, whom the Church calls upon to give ‘light to the senses’, visits man inwardly and directly touches the depths of his being.” He continues a few paragraphs later “under the Holy Spirit’s action, man fully discovers that his spiritual nature is not veiled by corporeity but, on the contrary, it is his spirit which gives true meaning to his body. Indeed, by living according to the Spirit, he fully manifests the gift of his adoption as a son of God.” (St. John Paul II; Pentecost Homily 31 May, 1998)
Just as the apostles experienced the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them, filling them with courage, wisdom, and zeal, we too receive the Holy Spirit in our baptism and become sealed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit in the Sacrament of Confirmation. Pentecost is not merely a historical event to be commemorated; it is instead a living reality that continues to shape and guide the Church today. It is a reminder of God’s promise to be with us always, empowering us to proclaim the Gospel boldly and to be witnesses of Christ’s love to the world.
It is through the Holy Spirit in our life that we are able to grow in our relationship with Jesus Christ and with each other. In the midst of the challenges and uncertainties that are all too prevalent today, the message of Pentecost is more relevant than ever. It is a reminder that we are never alone, for the Spirit of God dwells within us, guiding us, comforting us, and inspiring us to live lives of holiness and service. Let us open our hearts to the transforming power of the Holy Spirit. May we be filled anew with the fire of God’s love, and may that fire burn brightly within us, illuminating the darkness and drawing others to the light of Christ.
The Lord is truly risen, alleluia! He is risen indeed, alleluia!
Seminarian Sean Lee