Happy Birthday dear Mother Church.

“Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”   And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,“Receive the holy Spirit."  (John 20: 21 - 22 NABRE).

Today is the Solemnity of Pentecost, the Birthday of Mother Church.  Happy Birthday dear Mother, ancient and ever young. Mother of billions of children but yet a virgin.

"O God, who by the mystery of today’s great feast sanctify your whole Church in every people and nation, pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth and, with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed, fill now once more the hearts of believers.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, for ever and ever."   (Collect on the Feast of Pentecost).

Happy Pentecost dear friends.

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My Spirit will lead, guide, inspire and guard you.

"When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him."  (Acts 28: 16 RM)

Every step of Paul's ministry was planned from A to Z by the LORD and executed by the Holy Spirit.   We may call this, the working of Divine Providence in the life of Paul.  The protection and provision of Divine Providence operates similarly for everyone who serves the Lord.  Nothing is left to chance.

"I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."  (Acts 18:  10).

"But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death."  (2 Timothy 4:17)

The Acts of the Apostles, a factual history of the early Church ended thus:
"He [Paul] received all who came to him, and with complete assurance and without hindrance he proclaimed the kingdom of God
and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ."  (Acts 28: 22).  Paul was under house arrest.  All things are possible for God.

The Holy Spirit led, guided, and inspired Paul. The Spirit gave him power and wisdom.  The same Spirit is available to you and me in the work of Evangelization.

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6-3

"When he entered Rome, Paul was allowed to live by himself, with the soldier who was guarding him."  (Acts 28: 16 RM)

Every step of Paul's ministry was planned from A to Z by the LORD and executed by the Holy Spirit.   We may call this, the working of Divine Providence in the life of Paul.  The protection and provision of Divine Providence operates similarly for everyone who serves the Lord.  Nothing is left to chance.

"I am with you, and no one is going to attack and harm you, because I have many people in this city."  (Acts 18:  10).

"But the Lord stood with me and gave me strength so that I might preach the Good News in its entirety for all the Gentiles to hear. And he rescued me from certain death."  (2 Timothy 4:17)

The Acts of the Apostles, a factual history of the early Church ended thus:
"He [Paul] received all who came to him, and with complete assurance and without hindrance he proclaimed the kingdom of God
and taught about the Lord Jesus Christ."  (Acts 28: 22).  Paul was under house arrest.  All things are possible for God.

The Holy Spirit led, guided, and inspired Paul. The Spirit gave him power and wisdom.  The same Spirit is available to you and me in the work of Evangelization.

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The Holy Spirit will teach you everything.

"Bless the LORD, O my soul; and all my being, bless his holy name.
Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits."

Psalm 103 in my opinion is one of the most powerful psalms in the Psalter.  In the above verses 1-2, we are asked to bless the holy name of God.  The name of God is holy and therefore must not be used in vain.  (Exodus 20: 7).  This is because the Name of God represents the Person, Power and Presence of God.

"For as the heavens are high above the earth, so surpassing is his kindness toward those who fear him.
As far as the east is from the west, so far has he put our transgressions from us."
(Psalm 103:1-2, 11-12,  RM)

Abba Father has indeed blotted out completely our records of sins?
 
"The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you."  (John 14: 26).

Pentecost is Sunday.  Be prepared.  Renew your Baptismal commitment to Jesus.

Friday, June 2nd is the First Friday in June. The Heart of Jesus gushes with springs of Salvation.

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The Holy Spirit is the Master of Prayer.

"Keep me, O God, for in you I take refuge; I say to the LORD, “My Lord are you.”
O LORD, my allotted portion and my cup, you it is who hold fast my lot."
(Psalm 16: 1-2).

Psalm 16 is one of the Messianic Psalm.  The above verses give us an insight into the prayer of Jesus. Do you sense the tenderness and complete dependence in the tone?  A clue to how we should pray. The Holy Spirit is the Master of Prayer and invites us into the School of Prayer.

"I bless the LORD who counsels me;
even in the night my heart exhorts me.
I set the LORD ever before me with him at my right hand I shall not be disturbed."  (Psalm 16: 5,7-8 RM)

A common experience of people is the inspiration and guidance they receive at some wakeful times during the night. Don’t waste such opportunity.  Seek counsel from the Holy Spirit.  The Holy Spirit is the Source of inspiration and power.

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Most blessed are you among women.

"During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah,  where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth."  (Luke 1: 39 - 40 NABRE)

“Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.   And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"  (Luke 1: 42 - 43)

We celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth today.  Elizabeth filled with the Holy Spirit called Mary "the mother of my Lord."

"Almighty, ever-living God,
who, while the Blessed Virgin Mary was carrying your Son in her womb,
inspired her to visit Elizabeth,
grant us, we pray, that, faithful to the promptings of the Spirit,
we may magnify your greatness
with the Virgin Mary at all times."  (Collect in the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary).

We know from the prayer above that Mary was inspired by the Holy Spirit to visit Elizabeth.  You may ask:  How does the Church know her articles of Faith about Mary? The Holy Spirit leads, inspires and teaches the Church.  (John 16: 13).

"Blessed are you who believed  that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”  (Luke 1: 45).

The faith of Mary reminds us of that of Abraham who believed against hope. (Romans 4: 18)

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Most blessed are you among women.

"During those days Mary set out and traveled to the hill country in haste to a town of Judah,  where she entered the house of Zechariah and greeted Elizabeth."  (Luke 1: 39 - 40 NABRE)

“Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb.   And how does this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?"  (Luke 1: 42 - 43)

We celebrate the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary to Elizabeth today.  Elizabeth filled with the Holy Spirit called Mary "the mother of my Lord."

"Almighty, ever-living God,
who, while the Blessed Virgin Mary was carrying your Son in her womb,
inspired her to visit Elizabeth,
grant us, we pray, that, faithful to the promptings of the Spirit,
we may magnify your greatness
with the Virgin Mary at all times."  (Collect in the Feast of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin Mary).

We know from the prayer above that Mary was inspired by the Holy Spirit to visit Elizabeth.  You may ask:  How does the Church know her articles of Faith on Mary? The Holy Spirit leads and inspires the Church.  (John 16: 13).

"Blessed are you who believed  that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled.”  (Luke 1: 45).

The faith of Mary reminds us of that of Abraham who believed against hope. (Romans 4: 18)

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Have you embraced the entire Gospel of grace and mercy?

"Yet I consider life of no importance to me, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to bear witness to the gospel of God’s grace."  (Acts 20: 24 NABRE).

What do you desire most in your life?  For many people it is long life, health and prosperity.  When God asked Solomon to ask for whatever he wants, Solomon chose wisdom and God is pleased.  (2 Chronicles 1: 7).  Paul chose to accomplish the plan set for him by the Lord Jesus.  That is, "to bear witness to the Gospel of God’s grace." (Acts 20: 24).  Paul served the Lord with such an admirable singleness of purpose.

Wherever Paul preached, he did not shrink to proclaim the entire plan of God.  That is, grace and mercy through Jesus Christ.

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Are you sure you received the Holy Spirit when you became believer?

“Did you receive the holy Spirit when you became believers?” (Acts 19: 2 NABRE)

When Paul visited Ephesus in his missionary journey, he met a group of disciples and noticed that something was missing in their behavior and articulation of the faith.  So Paul asked the above question.  How did this group answer Paul?

“We have never even heard that there is a holy Spirit.”  (Acts 19: 2).
Are you certain you have the Holy Spirit or do you presume you do? Paul's remedy was quick.  "And when Paul laid [his] hands on them, the holy Spirit came upon them, and they spoke in tongues and prophesied."  (Acts 19: 6).

If you received the Holy Spirit when you became believer, do you know your gifts?

What are the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit?
1.  Wisdom
2.  Understanding
3.  Counsel
4.  Fortitude
5.  Knowledge
6.  Piety
7.  Fear of God

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