Sunday Reflections

Come Holy Spirit!

Before every homily, talk, or class that I have ever given, I pray to the Holy Spirit: “Come Holy Spirit, fill the heart of your faithful, and enkindle in us the fire of your love.  Send forth your Spirit and we will be created, and you will renew the face of the earth.”  I think that this is a fitting prayer for a Resurrectionist because we, as Resurrectionists, have committed ourselves to the “resurrection of society.”  This is, of course, not something that is exclusive to Resurrectionists, for as Paul reminds us in our second reading, there are different kinds of spiritual gifts, different kinds of service, different kinds of workings, different manifestations of the Spirit—and they come from the same source: the one God who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Just as Resurrectionists are called to work for the resurrection of society through their vowed lives of poverty, chastity, and obedience, lay people who share in the same three-fold ministry of Christ as priest, prophet, and king, are called to be leaven in our world working for its renewal.  This happens every day in the ordinary circumstances of family, friendship, neighborhood, work, and recreation.  It happens every day in the multiple relationships that we have with others as we try to be Christ-like in our world of influence.  This is, of course, a daunting task, that would be impossible if we were left on our own.  However, we are not.  The Risen Lord has empowered us to continue his work with the gift of the Holy Spirit.  The Risen Lord calls us to continue to transform our world, not on our own, but through his continued presence of the Spirit, who is with always to strengthen, encourage, inspire, and assist us.