He Remains Through The Spirit

It is so easy for us to make the huge mistake of viewing the faith in purely historical terms. It is easy for us to view the events of Salvation History as nothing more than history. Our personal celebrations of the birth of the Lord, Christmas, His Passion Death and Resurrection, Easter, the Ascension and the sending of the Holy Spirit, Pentecost, can become reflections on the past but not celebrations that we allow to have a personal impact on our lives. But, truthfully, most of us, and most Catholics do not do this. We look to each celebration, each season, as an opportunity to continue to mature as Catholics, to become stronger in our faith, to grow closer to God. The Church gives us Advent and Lent to prepare for the celebrations of Christmas and Easter, but our growth does not stop on Christmas Day or Easter Sunday, or Pentecost. We celebrate these seasons not just with the joy of the past, but with the joy of our present. God has become one of us, He has saved us through His Son’s sacrifice of obedience and love, and He remains with us as we carry on the mandate of Pentecost to make disciples of all nations. None of us have completed the mission the Lord has entrusted to us. Even if we retire, it is only from work, but never from the service of the Lord. So, young or not so young, today and every day is Pentecost. We all go forward to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ. And we go with the Lord, for the gift of Pentecost is ultimately that Jesus’ Spirit will be with us always.