This is Pentecost! The Birthday of the 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).

Sunday May 31st 2020 is the Solemnity of Pentecost.

Brethren, this is Pentecost! This is the Birthday of our Mother, the Church. She is Mother and Teacher. Very old and ever young and beautiful. Virgin and Mother of many children. Queen of Peace and Seat of Wisdom. Happy Birthday Mother Church!

The Holy Spirit descended on the disciples in the Cenacle "like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were." (Acts 2: 2). The waiting and praying are over. The Father has delivered the Big Gift He promised.

"The Spirit prepares men and goes out to them with his grace, in order to draw them to Christ. The Spirit manifests the risen Lord to them, recalls his word to them and opens their minds to the understanding of his Death and Resurrection." (CCC 737).

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

His testimony is trustworthy.

"It is this disciple who testifies to these things and has written them, and we know that his testimony is true." (John 21: 24).

Saturday 30th May 2020, eve of Pentecost 2020.

John the Beloved Disciple whom the Church believes is the author of the 4th Gospel invites us to trust the authenticity and inspiration of the Gospel he authored. What is trust based on? Ultimately, trust is based on credible witness. If the credible witness is an eye witness, so much the better. Consider this fact for a moment: If we consider the words of CNN or Fox News true, why should we doubt the word of God that changes lives and lasts forever?

"What we have seen and heard
we proclaim now to you so that you too may have fellowship with us."  (1 John 1: 3)

John the Evangelist heard Jesus speak and touched Him several times.  He leaves us a compelling eyewitness account of the solid basis of our faith.  With this, we can better appreciate what St Paul says to the Ephesians:

"Our Household [Church] is built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone."  (Ephesians 2: 20)

The foundation of our faith is unshakeable.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Feast of St Paul VI, Pope.

"The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you." (John 14: 26).

Friday 29th May 2020, 7th Week in the Easter Season is the feast of the gentle Pope St Paul VI, (1897 - 1978), Pontiff. Paul's papacy spanned the period of Vatican Council II which was followed by a period of change and ferment in the Church and society. In the midst of this, he authored a prophetic encyclical where he warned bluntly what would follow if the world go the way of contraception and abortion.
His prophecy has been vindicated to the letter.

The Magisterium of the Church draws from the prophecy of Jesus in our lead Scripture for today: "The Holy Spirit will teach you everything and remind you of all I have said to you." The Holy Spirit taught the Fathers and Doctors of Church throughout the ages. His degrees are true and reliable.

Without memories of the good things God is doing in our lives, we will never be able to give thanks to God and love God. God brought the Chosen People out of Egypt through mighty deeds. He led them in the desert, provided for them and protected them against fierce enemies. They forget and therefore never gave thanks.

Have you had the experience of the Holy Spirit reminding you of something important God did for you? I have several times. It helps me to give thanks to God for which I might have missed.

Ask the Holy Spirit to bless you  with His ministry of remembering.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

May they all be one Father.

"With them in you and you in me,
may they be so completely one
that the world will realise that it was you who sent me, says the Lord." (John 17: 21).

Thursday 28th May 2020, 7th Week in the Easter Season.

The night before He died, in a long discourse with His disciples, which was mostly monologue, Jesus reserved His greatest words to the last in the form of a prayer to Abba Father. The prayer is called the High Priestly Prayer. Jesus is our able and eternal High Priest interceding always for the Church. He is removing His powerful physical presence with the Ascension. He cried out to the Father: "May they all be one."

Jesus prayed from the heart for Christian Unity. What are the facts today?
#1. The 16th century Reformation appears to have accomplished a privatization of Christianity. There may be over 60,000 sects that call themselves church.
#2. Over 50% of Christians do not believe the same thing. Nor do they believe in 100% of the content of Revelation.
#3. One of the core problem of evangelization of the world is that ETERNAL LIFE which is the core and very attractive promise of Christianity is rarely mentioned.
#4. Although mutual antagonism among Christians have diminished, grave suspicions still linger.

God could have prevented the 16th century splintering of the Body of Christ. Why did He allow it to happen? For some, this may be one of the greatest mysteries of Divine Providence.

As we near the Solemnity of Pentecost, let us pray that the Holy Spirit will restore unity in the Church.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Feast of St Augustine of Canterbury.

"Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth." (John 17: 17).

Wednesday May 27th 2020, 7th Week in the Easter Season is the feast of St Augustine of Canterbury. (+ 604). Christ is the light of the nations. Pope St Gregory the Great sent St Augustine and his companion monks to England as the light of Christ to convert the English people to Christianity. Augustine erected the Episcopal See at Canterbury, and the English hierarchy was born. Augustine became the first Archbishop of Canterbury.

In the high priestly prayer the night before His execution, Jesus prayed: "Your word is truth, O Lord:
consecrate us in the truth." He prayed for us. He asked the Father to set us apart for the purpose and mission of the truth. Remember that Jesus Himself is the Truth, the Way and Life.

St Pope Gregory the Great anointed St Augustine of Canterbury to the purpose and mission of the Truth to England. He preached the Gospel fearlessly to King Ethelbert of Kent and his subjects and they were baptized. This opened the way to the civilization of England. We celebrated a few days ago the life of St Bede the Venerable, (672 - 735).Doctor of the Church, Father of English history.

Sunday May 31st is the Solemnity of Pentecost, the Birthday of the Church.
Father of Truth, as we prepare for this feast, we pray: Consecrate us to the truth. Amen.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

The Feast of St Philip Neri.

"I glorified you on earth by accomplishing the work that you gave me to do." (John 17: 4).

Tuesday 26th May 2020, 7th Week in the Easter Season is also the feast feast of St Philip Neri (1515 - 1595), Priest. 

St Philip Neri was an extraordinary priest filled with the Holy Spirit and ecstatic joy. He founded the Congregation of the Oratory, the religious community of St John Henry Newman. He converted thousands through the Sacrament of Reconciliation. He was a great catechist and spiritual director. He was noted for his joyful and cheerful disposition which attracted thousands to him.

Our daily Scripture verse today is the Farewell Discourse.  Jesus Christ glorified the Father through the Cross by overcoming evil.The Father glorified His Son through the Resurrection. The Cross is the ordained means of our salvation.  (CCC 272). Jesus embraced the pain and humiliation of the Cross so that we may be free. Those who are chosen and called for eternal life are justified by faith in the atoning work of Jesus and glorified by the Cross. We accept to embrace the inevitable trials in our lives. Rejection of the Cross is rejection of Jesus Christ.

We adore You O Christ and worship You. Because of Your holy Cross, You redeemed the world.

St Philip Neri understood the logic of Salvation: Sin > Suffering > Salvation. This is why he was a highly gifted confessor and administered the Sacrament of Penance with great skill and compassion.
St Philip Neri pray for us.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com

Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you were saved?

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

Monday 25th May 2020, 7th Week in the Easter Season is the feast day of three great saints:
1. St Bede the Venerable (672 - 735), English Benedictine Priest and Doctor of the Church. Bede was a theologian and known as Father of English history.
2. St Gregory VII, (+ 1085),Pope and  Monk of Cluny. Gregory incurred the wrath of Emperor Henry IV by fighting against the evils of Lay Investiture. The Emperor exiled him to Salerno where he died.
3. St Mary Magdalene de Pazzi (1566 - 1607), Italian Carmelite from Florence. Great ascetic. Worked untiringly for the renewal of the Church.

Next Sunday, May 31, the Church celebrates the Solemnity of the Pentecost, the Birthday of the Church. St Paul asked some new converts he met at Ephesus: “Did you receive the holy Spirit when you became believers?” (Acts 19: 2).
Why did Paul ask them this question? Probably because of something he observed in their behavior. Examples:
#1 Prayer habits.
#2 Study of the Word of God.
#3 Sunday Eucharist.
#4 Sinful habits.

You: “Did you receive the holy Spirit when you became believers?” It is not too late to join the Pentecost Novena 2020.

Daily Bible Verse @ SeekFirstcommunity.com