The story is told of a boy who was admiring a very expensive car. “It is a gift from my brother,” the owner of the car said. “Don’t you wish you had an expensive car like this?” The boy answered: “I wish I had a brother like yours.”
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Today is the Solemnity of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, and gave them powers untold. Today is also the birthday of the Church, and we are reminded of the Lord’s wish and command that we love one another as brothers and sisters. Today, we pray to the Lord: “Defeat our Babel with your Pentecost!” Yes, may we set aside our divisions, disunity, and discord.
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Now that the elections are over, may our elected officials focus on building instead of destroying, and take the road of peace and reconciliation instead of staying on the road of revenge and division. Let us ask the Holy Spirit to comfort those who lost, guide those who won, and help us all to move on for the good of our nation. Come, Holy Spirit, we need you as a people and as a nation!
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We need a new Pentecost in our present day and time. We need the Holy Spirit in our lives to guide, to heal, to comfort, and to counsel us. May we be liberated from our fears, ignorance, pride, and hunger for worldly riches and power. We all need transformation and renewal. “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of thy faithful and enkindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth thy spirit and they shall be created, and you will renew the face of the earth.”
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I am writing this column in Lisieux, France, the home of St. Therese whom Pope Pius X called “The Greatest Saint of Modern Times.” Her humility and littleness are what made this saint great. There is no greater power than gentleness and humility. The world, of course, will laugh at this, but the Holy Spirit will teach and remind us what our Lord and Master has taught us. “The advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I told you.”
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St. Therese’s “little way” is all about being simple, humble, and childlike. It is being deeply confident in God’s love and providence. She reminds us that we do not need to do great things to love God, but to do whatever we do with much love. She is also the Patroness of the Missions, offering prayers and sacrifices for missionaries “out there” within the walls of the Carmelite convent in Lisieux. If Pentecost must happen again, we all must be a part of it in our own “little way.”
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Say it with flowers! Ella Sanchez told us of how she received a confirmation of her petition to St. Therese when she received white roses. How? Through the Internet! A friend also told me that she received a confirmation of her request to St. Therese. How? Someone gave her a vial of the White Flower Chinese ointment! May we not forget the simplicity, spontaneity, joy and humor of St. Therese! On a personal level, after our visit to the Shrine of St. Therese where I lifted up a special intention, I saw five roses in a flower vase at the table where we had lunch. Thank you, St. Therese (whose feast day falls on Oct. 1, my birthday)!
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There is a story that on May 13, 1883 (Pentecost Day), 13-year-old Therese, then suffering from a critical illness, received healing in her room through the statue of La Vierge du Sourire (Our Lady of the Smile). This should remind all of us of the most powerful intercession of Mother Mary, and also the power of a smile!
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Pope Francis, who chose to be named after St. Francis of Assisi, is an agent of Pentecost, filled with simplicity, sincerity, humility, poverty, and trust in God’s providence. Today, let us ask ourselves: Am I an agent of Pentecost, or an agent of Babel?
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Whenever you are stressed, distressed, laden with burdens, or covered by darkness, pray sincerely and continuously the powerful prayer: “Come, Holy Spirit!” Another powerful, liberating prayer that drives away worries, fears, and sadness is: “Jesus, I trust in You. Mama Mary, I love you!” Try it. Try it right now, and experience Pentecost.
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Think about this: “True strength of character is not calculated by how well we manage to carry sizeable loads under challenging conditions. It is best measured by our ability to remain kind, light-spirited, and compassionate, though we may be burdened with life’s challenges.”
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Bantay Matanda invites you to a lay forum on “The Importance of Diet” on May 25 at Janssen Hall of Christ the King Seminary, 9 a.m.-12 noon. For inquiries, call 3732262, 9982548, or 09174167849.
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A moment with the Lord:
Come, Holy Spirit, we need you! Come, Holy Spirit, we pray. Come, Holy Spirit, and stay with us. Amen!