I think Ascension and Pentecost rival Easter and Christmas as Holy days –
or maybe I should say I realize that it is as necessary to celebrate them in
order to fulfill the Christian Church’s very existence and God’s gift of
eternal life for each of us.
Jesus’ birth, death and rising give us the promise of eternal life. His ascension into Heaven and his sending of the Hoy Spirit guides us to the fulfillment of that very life. Without any part we would have lost a piece of a puzzle without which we could not be completed. They are the fulfillment of the mystery of the Holy and Divine Trinity.
Just as Jesus took care of us, we are called to take care of others—to care
more about each other than ourselves, to live not to gratify me, but to gratify
and support each other.
“Brothers and sisters, live by the Spirit and you will
certainly not gratify the desire of the flesh. For the flesh has desires
against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; these are opposed to each
other, so that you may not do what you want. Gal 5:16-25
Our human nature makes us sinful, and yet through
God’s infinite grace and mercy he gives us the example of Jesus and the
guidance of the Spirit to complete us. He knew even in creating us in his likeness
that we would need both example and gift so that we could eventually come back
to Him—the example of selfishly serving each other through the grace and gifts
of the Spirit.
“But if you are guided by the Spirit, you are not under
the law. Now the works of the flesh are obvious: immorality, impurity, lust,
idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of
selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies,
and the like. I warn you, as I warned you before, that those who do such things
will not inherit the kingdom of God. Gal 5: 16-25
Wow—can’t we as Christians see these faults in others,
aka society (in law, in politics, in the culture.) And I don’t have to look
very deeply into myself to see my own faults. No one person or culture is “exempt”
from the temptations. All of us at some time or another have failed to keep our
tempers, have told a lie or have done something that is more about what’s good
for me than about what’s good for society as a whole.
It’s not a "judgment" to look around and
realize our faults and the faults of others, it is more of a review of what is
and what should be, of determining right from wrong, good from evil, of how we
should change our daily lives to help others and to help others learn the
truth. (We cannot however judge God’s mercy, forgiveness or condemnation.)This
is the Spirit working within us, allowing us to evangelize and live our
Christian faith, values and morals as an example to others.
“In contrast, the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,
patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control. Against
such there is no law. Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified their
flesh with its passions and desires. If we live in the Spirit, let us also
follow the Spirit.” Gal 5: 16-25
The Holy Spirit is what guides us to discern what
is from God and what the temptations of the world are that lead us away from
God. The reward of the fruits of the Spirit may be given to us personally or because
of our example the entire Christian community may grow when it sees how our
faith helps us to overcome the sacrifice and sufferings of daily life.
I think the Saints (apostles and modern day
disciples like Dorothy Day, JPII and Mother Theresa) are most “rewarded” when
we follow their example and study their lives—when we strive to learn and live
as they themselves did by living with less and giving more of our time, talents
and treasures to others.
Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your
faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You
shall renew the face of the earth. O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit,
did instruct the hearts of the faithful, grant that by the same Holy Spirit we may be truly wise and ever
enjoy His consolations, Through Christ Our Lord, Amen.
We are called to live in the Trinity, in the reception
of the Spirit, in the mystery of living and dying through faith by protecting
and treating with dignity every life (born and unborn) (legal and illegal) (sinner
and saint).
God’s law cannot be enforced politically—rather we
must each strive to live not for ourselves but for the common good of others.
Renew in us our faith,
Blessings,Charlotte
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