– Brought to you by Fr. Bernardino Andrade
PENTECOST SUNDAY
HELLO CHURCH… HAPPY BIRTHDAY
Don’t feel surprised when you attend Mass this Pentecost Sunday if the priest, instead of starting Mass with the Liturgical and traditional «In the name of the Father…» he would start by singing «Happy Birthday». Why? It is because in Pentecost Sunday the Church celebrates her Birthday.
I stop for a few moments and I imagine the «tsunami» that invaded and shook that place where a group of cowards and traitors were gathered: lost, upset, bitter, confused and full of fear. They had lost two friends by tragic deaths: Judas and Jesus. Then, «suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit , and began to speak foreign languages and the spirit gave them the gift of speech» Act. 2: 1-11).
The Holy Spirit came to stay with them and with us.
FRUITS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT – A WAY OF LIFE
Life is about relationships. Faith is about relationships. Politics are about relationships. We all belong to God and we belong to one another.
Very often I am invited to bless houses and businesses places. Some time ago I was invited to bless a Bank. Every time this happens I always read a special passage of the Bible. It is Galatians 5: 22-23. I consider it a mini-course on human relationships. It applies to all situations where people are involved. They are what St. Paul calls, the Fruits of the Holy Spirit. This is the results of the «tsunami» of Pentecost Sunday.
Here they are: LOVE, JOY, PEACE, PATIENCE, GENEROSITY, FAITHFULNESS, GENTLENESS AND SELF-CONTROL. There is no law against such things (Gal. 5: 22-23).
I would like to invite you, when you meet or pray as a couple, as a family or as a group to say one of the fruits of the Holy Spirit and complete a sentence. No discussion. Just sharing. In discussion you give your opinion that can be right or wrong. In sharing there is no right or wrong answers. It would be like this:
1. LOVE IS (Complete the sentence) _________________________________________
2- JOY IS ______________________________________________________________
3.- PEACE IS ___________________________________________________________
4.- PATIENCE IS ________________________________________________________
5.- KINDNESS IS________________________________________________________
6.- GENEROSITY IS _____________________________________________________
7.- FAITHFULNESS IS ___________________________________________________
8.- GENTLENESS IS _____________________________________________________
9.- SELF-CONTROL IS ___________________________________________________
Please try. God loves you and so do I.
Fr. Bernardino Andrade