It was one year ago today that I remember standing on the altar of this church and looking out into the rows of pews before me. It was 4:00 am in the morning; almost fourteen hours after my ordination to the Permanent Diaconate. I couldn’t sleep. Very soon, I would be assisting at my first mass. One journey had ended and another had begun. I recalled that famous line from the movie The Candidate. Robert Redford just spent an exhausting amount of time and resources fighting for a senate seat in California. He was the underdog going up against the entrenched veteran. He wasn’t expected to win but he did. As they were celebrating his victory, he looked over to his campaign manager and asked: “WHAT NOW?” At that moment, I could definitely relate to that feeling. After over six years of spiritual direction, preparation, and formation, the moment was upon me and my ministry as a member of the clergy had begun. It was a beautiful, terrifying moment that I will never forget.
Today, as we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost, I am able to reflect on my ministry and on my life. As Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and instructed them to go out into the world to spread the Good News of Our Lord Jesus Christ and His Message of Salvation. WOW. What an amazing moment and one that I could relate to in a most special way. A way very close to my own heart and my own Journey of Faith. It is also a Spiritual Moment that can be shared by all of us. The Holy Spirit guides us, moves us, and makes us feel God’s loves as we do those things we do which define us a Christians living the Faith in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit is the deliverer of God’s special grace and that which we long for but only get a glimpse of in our lifetime.
Pentecost is a time of remembrance and renewal. We look back a Jesus’ commissioning of the Apostles and use that moment to energize our own faith and our own mission. We are counted among the faithful and are sharers in that same mission. We are asked to come forth and testify to Gift of Salvation and the wonderful presence of our God. With it comes the power to save the world and move mountains. It is a great responsibility and great place to be; dwelling in a community of love, fidelity, and faith. Within that community we live our lives and enrichen ourselves with the gifts therein.
The presence of the Holy Spirit has the ability and power to move us in a purely spiritual way. We only need to open our hearts to receive that gift. Jesus is always waiting to give it. He only needs to be asked. And when he is asked, a whole new world is opened to us every day. Through this gift, we all feel the need to do acts of charity and goodness which define the Christian Condition. A conscious guides us towards salvation and God’s Graces surround us. We are safe, we are comforted, we are loved within our community.
Take moment today and reflect on the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. How has the Church been an impact on our lives? Where would we be without the Church and without Jesus Christ in our lives? How different would our lives be? How different would this city be? How different would this world be? We are all one body and our lives display this fact. Take a moment today and thank God for His Church, His Bride, the Rock of Our Faith. I thank Him every day as I look out into the rows of pews: be it at 4:00 am in the morning or any other time.
Yours in Christ,
Deacon Tom.
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