“This morning, you may not see tongues of fire fall. But pray for the light – and for the heat. Welcome the Spirit’s warmth and friendship. Turn to Him. Call upon Him. Ask Him for guidance and direction. He will always answer.
Pray that the one who gave voice to Peter will also give you a voice, so you can share in your own way, in your own lives, all that you know of ‘the mighty acts of God.’
Birthdays, of course, are a time we look forward to receiving gifts. So, too, with today, the birthday of the Church, when we recall the gifts of the Holy Spirit – wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, fear of the Lord.
Those really are gifts that keep on giving.
You may not see any ‘Happy Pentecost’ cards in the Hallmark store. And tomorrow, you won’t find Pentecost decorations that are half-off at Rite Aid. But this great feast, this great holy day, stands as a towering and enduring moment, the day when our Church was born. Celebrate this day of days. Give thanks for it.
And give thanks, as well, for the one who seems to be the silent partner in the Blessed Trinity – the quiet Spirit who, despite what we may think, is often the one who speaks the loudest.”
— From my homily on Pentecost, 2011.
