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On Lion's Wings
Pentecost
May 23, 2010
“His Own First Gift”
by Fr. Timothy Perkins, SSC
Throughout the Easter season, we
have used Eucharistic Prayer D at the 10:30 liturgy on
Sundays. In this particular prayer, we have constantly
been reminded that in sending the Holy Spirit, God sent
to those who believe, “his own first gift . . . to
complete his work in the world, and to bring to
fulfillment the sanctification of all.” On this Feast of
Pentecost, we celebrate and worshipfully receive this
great gift.
It is a gift with a purpose. We who
have come to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are
commissioned through reception of the Holy Spirit to
continue the work Almighty God initiated in sending his
only begotten Son into the world. Our task is the task
of salvation and reconciliation. Just as Christ
proclaimed the coming of the Kingdom, we are to bear
witness to the Kingdom of God through lives of faithful
service to the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. As
through his sacrificial life and death, Jesus has
brought forth forgiveness and reconciliation, so we are
to give our lives to offering forgiveness and unity
through faith to this world that so desperately needs
this. These things we do by the power of the Holy
Spirit.
This way of life, living in the
Spirit is the source of all holiness. By participating
in the work of Christ, by letting our lives witness to
our faith, by forgiving others as we have been forgiven,
by healing division and willingly reconciling with
others, we are reformed in his likeness. Being thus
reformed and transformed, we grow in holiness through
our use of the good gift of the Holy Spirit.
Because we have received so great a
gift, we respond by returning gifts of love to Christ
through his Body, the Church. These include gifts of
service and gifts of praise. But in a significant way
on this “First Fruits Sunday” of our capital campaign,
we give of ourselves by giving of our resources in
support of the work of the Church.
How glorious is Pentecost, this
gift-giving day of the Holy Spirit!
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