Pentecost marks the fiftieth day of the Lord’s Resurrection when He sent among us the Holy Spirit to carry on His work. The apostles were afraid until they received the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, then they went out to preach, teach, shepherd, and sanctify by the power of Christ crucified and risen. This power remains with us in our day and will continue to He returns at His second coming.

The Solemnity of the Ascension makes clear the Lord’s mandate that we continue His work in the Church until He returns in glory. What could be more explicit than the words: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature.”

As we prepare to be renewed in the Gifts of the Holy Spirit for the Great Feast of Pentecost we are asked to turn over to God what matters most. He wants from us our loving, faithful, obedience. What we treasure and possess in Jesus (and thus in union with Him and by His saving grace) we dare to present to our Heavenly Father by the power of the Holy Spirit.

My best wishes and prayers are with our children, who will receive Our Lord for the first time in Holy Communion this coming Saturday, May 13th, at a special Mass at 11:00 A.M. I also offer my spiritual encouragement and support to their parents. Indeed, the Day of First Holy Communion is a grace-filled day – a day of blessing and grace for each child and his parents.