Pastor's Spiritual Reflections

By Fr. Leo Schneider (05/27/2007)

Dear People of Holy Name,

Speaking of the power and presence of the Holy Spirit is like trying to prove the existence of God with mere reason. For the unbeliever there is nothing to convince, for the believer there are still questions and uncertainty. God is real and the power and the presence of the Holy Spirit is God with us now, creating something ever new.

When I read of the manifestation of the Holy Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles, I feel the Spirit stir hope in me, as I have witnessed speaking in tongues many years ago. It may not be my gift, but I know it is real and the power of God is real that effects such events. I also am reminded of the work of the Holy Spirit in my life on this feast day, when I was behind the iron curtain on this day, speaking to a man of the underground church. For me that was the work of the Holy Spirit.

Looking back, remembering, and being inspired by the work of the Spirit in the early church and in my past, helps me to be open and wonder how the Holy Spirit will work in me today and tomorrow. Pentecost is not only a feast of remembrance, it is a feast of the power and presence of God in our lives today.

When we pray and wait upon the Holy Spirit we will be touched by God. However, we may not always know how in that moment. God doesn’t always mold us instantly like and earthquake rearranging our lives. Sometimes God is in the simple breeze that whispers across our face.

The manifestation of the Spirit is something to be discerned, and one of the signs of the Spirit is our way of serving, expressed through our unique gifts used in making a difference in people’s lives, building the kingdom of God’s love among us. When we have a passion for the Lord we have a passion for others and a desire to make a better world for all.

The Holy Spirit is the foundation of our faith and it is the Spirit that prays in us when we pray. Trusting in the Holy Spirit opens our minds and hearts to seek what is new and good for mind, body and soul. God is here in his Spirit to restore us and fill us with new life. We don’t need to fear calling upon God, because he wants what is best for us and knows what we need before we ask.

Calling on the Holy Spirit, a manifestation of the Spirit itself, is our willingness to let the Lord inhabit our hearts and direct us in ways we would never dream of, with a power we can only wonder at. Today we celebrate the power and presence of God in the timeless reality of Pentecost. Let us then, pray with open hearts and call on the Holy Spirit to enkindle in us the power of his love. Let us also pray that his transforming power will make all things new in our lives.

May the power of the Holy Spirit be upon you and may his name be ever on our lips.

In Christ’s Spirit, Fr. Leo