projecting pentecost
"Paul knelt down with them all and prayed. They began to weep without restraint, throwing their arms around him and kissing him, for they were deeply distressed to hear that they would never see his face again." —Acts 20:36-38
When Paul knew that he was seeing the leaders of the church of Ephesus for the last time, he had no regrets, for he "never shrunk from announcing to [them] God's design in its entirety" (Acts 20:27).
Imagine the occasion when you will see your children, spouse, or brothers and sisters in Christ for the last time. Will you have any regrets? Will you be ready to meet the Lord? Will your marriage be a magnificent sign of Christ's love for the Church? Will your children be faith-filled Catholic Christians? Will you have impacted our culture with the gospel? Will you have fully completed God's mission for you on this earth?
Many of us have so much unfinished business that our lives seem hopeless. In this case, the last time we see our loved ones will be tragic unless the Lord does many miracles. This is exactly what He will do by giving us the Holy Spirit in a new Pentecost.
If we look ahead to the end of our brief time on earth, we may thirst for the Holy Spirit (see Jn 7:37ff) and desire the fullness of the Holy Spirit more than we desire anything else, even our pleasures. Then we will be getting close to throwing open the doors of our lives to the Holy Spirit.
Prayer: Father, on this sixth day of the Pentecost novena, may I realize that I am doomed without new life in the Spirit.
Promise: "Consecrate them by means of truth — 'Your word is truth.' " —Jn 17:17
Praise: St. Philip Neri projected the Pentecost joy that comes from being filled with the Holy Spirit. He often exulted in the Spirit after celebrating Mass.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape Holy Spirit our Hope on audio AV 81-3 or video V-81.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend Robert L. Hagedorn, October 9, 2003
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, October 14, 2003