1. The 9 am Mass today was celebrated for all of you, the parishioners, and your intentions, and the 11 am Mass was for Theodore Church (by Mary Ann Church). The Mass for this Sunday can be viewed online here.
2. As I mentioned yesterday, June 1st is the magic date for open access to daily Mass, and 25% capacity for weekend Masses. We'll keep you posted on details.
3. Novena to the Holy Spirit: Day Three Unfortunately, there was a technical issue with the wifi, so the live-stream cut out, which it turn made the recorded video unavailable. : ( Sorry about that. Again, the prayers are available here.
4. Sign ups: The sign up sheet for the daily Masses this week is here.
5. A reminder about online giving, available here.
The first reading today presents the Apostles, Mary, and some other women returning to Jerusalem after Jesus' Ascension on Thursday. They go to the upper room, the place where they had held the Last Supper together. There, they devote themselves to prayer as they await the coming of the Holy Spirit, the gift of God. The Church gives us this reading to remind us that our own liturgical observance imitates the Apostolic example of eager longing and petition for the coming of the Holy Spirit.
This focus on the Holy Spirit naturally connected with a book that I've been reading recently. It's called The Cross and the Switchblade, by David Wilkerson. It's a fascinating story of how David was called by God to go into New York City and minister to the gangs of teen-agers in the city. His opening attempt led to his being led out of a courtroom by the security, and he thought he had been defeated. As it turned out, though, that was exactly the "in" he needed with the gang members. Any enemy of the police was a friend of theirs! And so his ministry took off in the most unexpected way.
When he was still a young boy, however, David learned of the power of the Holy Spirit in an unforgettable way. His grandfather told him "the day you learn to be publicly specific in your prayers, that is the day you will discover power." Not long afterwards David arrived home to an ambulance in the driveway. The doctor had arrived to tend to his dad, always a sick man, and now at death's door. The elders from their church had gathered as well. Little David remembered his grandfather's words about making his petitions publicly, but couldn't bring himself to do it. Instead he ran downstairs to the basement and began praying there. Little did he realize that the heating system worked as a PA system! It carried his voice throughout the house.
Before long his father sent for David to be brought up. In the room, he and his dad, together with his mom, started all praying together. Finally, David went to ask the doctor to come in, and recounts that "There was one more step. I walked to the door and opened it and said, loud and clear: 'Please come, Dr. Brown. I have ... ' (it was hard) 'I have prayed believing that Daddy will get better.'" The kind but unbelieving doctor came to the room ... and confirmed a miracle had occurred. David's father had been miraculously, instantaneously healed. David had witnessed the power of God at work.
For all of us, David's grandfather's words should be taken to heart. "The day you learn to be publicly specific in your prayers, that is the day you will discover power." the Holy Spirit, the bond of love, the spirit of communion, the soul of the Church, is not the spirit of isolation and fear. The grandfather's word point to a profound truth about the convergence of the Holy Spirit's action with public petition.
In these days leading up to Pentecost, I challenge you to do so. Tell a friend or family member what you are praying for. Ask them to join you. Bring the petition to the Holy Spirit, the spirit of communion.
(And, if I may take my own advice, I would ask you to pray for my older sister Christina, that she return to God and the practice of the faith. That's my particular intention this Pentecost. Thank you!)