“When you send forth your Spirit, they are created; and you renew the face of the earth.” Ps 104

“the Risen Jesus breathed on them and said to them: ‘Receive the Holy Spirit.’” Jn 20

“Sweet refreshment, sweet repose, pleasant coolness in the heat.” Pentecost sequence

Dear parishioners,

I have just a few things to report this week, so I want to begin by dwelling a bit on the Holy Spirit, on this important feast of Pentecost

Firstly, thank God we have the feast of Pentecost to remind us that the Holy Spirit actually exists. The Spirit is so incredibly discreet that we forget It exists. Certainly the Charismatic Renewal that has been occurring in the Church for the past fifty years has been a potent reminder that the Holy Spirit is real and active. Everything that we are in the Church, and everything that we achieve as Church, we are and we achieve in the Holy Spirit. Don’t be mistaken by its discretion. The Holy Spirit is our link to the Father and to the Son.

My favourite metaphor for the Holy Spirit is the wind. In Jesus’ words to Nicodemus: “The wind blows where it wills, and you can hear the sound it makes, but you do not know where it comes from nor where it goes; so it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” Jn 3,8 The “sound” of which Jesus speaks reminds us all of “the sound of sheer silence” that Elijah heard on Mount Horeb. The Spirit of God, like the wind, is sheer silence; it is immaterial and invisible; like the wind, it goes where it wills, it makes its presence known only by its effects. It arouses movements of thought and will in our minds and hearts, like when one thinks: “My life is a mess. Maybe if I went back to Church, things would be better.” Or “I haven’t been to confession in ages. Maybe it’s time I went back.” Such thoughts are prompted by the Holy Spirit. It’s a mysteriously beautiful thing. When God has chosen us, we can wander as far away from Him as we like, He is never far from us. Through His Spirit, he gently prompts us back to Himself.

A great many things are said in Scripture of the works of the Holy Spirit in the Church and in our lives as individuals. We were reminded of many of them as we read the Acts of the Apostles during this Easter season, a book which could just as appropriately be called: “The Acts of the Holy Spirit”. We are reminded of the works of the Holy Spirit in the writings of Paul. Of all the things that are said of the Holy Spirit, my favourite remains what Paul says of the Holy Spirit in his letter to the Romans: “The Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings. And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for the holy ones (that’s us) according to God’s will.” Rm 8,26.27 He writes again in Ga 4,6: “As proof that you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying out: ‘Abba, Father!’” These words are for me, for us all really, a source of immense consolation and hope. Paul is telling us that even when, as far we know, we’re not praying, we are in fact praying. The Holy Spirit is in us, raising up unceasingly to the Father a prayer that is pleasing to the Father, because it is in conformity with his will. What a tremendous source of serenity.

I could go on and on, but I think your time will be better spent reading passages from the Bible about the Holy Spirit. Just take some time in this time of Pentecost to enter “Bible verses about the Holy Spirit” in your search engine. A multitude of websites will pop up, where you can read, one after another, a multitude of Bible verses relating to the Holy Spirit. A great way to enter into the spirit of this very beautiful feast of Pentecost. I refer you as well to the Pentecost Sequence for help in growing in your appreciation of the Holy Spirit. Just enter “Pentecost Sequence” into your search engine, and you will find the text.

Dr. Bonnie Henry will be speaking next Tuesday. I will send out a special pastor’s corner as soon as we know when we will be allowed to re-open, and in what manner.

The Archdiocese of Vancouver is throwing its support behind a global prayer effort this week for the Church and for persecuted minorities in China. This Monday, May 24th, is the feast of Our Lady, Help of Christians. Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI designated this feast as an annual world-wide day of prayer for the Church in China. This year, it has become an octave, spanning from Pentecost to Trinity Sunday. For more information, and to participate in this initiative, go to globalprayerforchina.org. You will also find more on this on our various parish sites.

Finally, perhaps you have noticed literally a ton of cut stone, gravel, and sand at the south-east corner of the church. Our Knights of Columbus are hard at work, building what will be called “Columbus Plaza”, a gated plaza in which will be found a statue of Mary, and a monument to the unborn and to their parents. We dedicate this monument to the unborn and to their parents because we feel that every abortion creates not one, but three victims, the unborn child, and its parents. This monument will stand as a symbol of our permanent prayer for their healing, for their liberating contrition, and for their redemption.

Let’s all do our best to live this beautiful long weekend in such a way as to contribute to our collective effort to keep the pandemic at bay as we vaccinate ever more of our citizens.

God bless us and keep us all safe. 

Fr. Guy