Preparing For Pentecost

7th Sunday of Easter (Homily) 

On Thursday, 13 May 2021, We have celebrated the Solemnity of Ascension of the Lord and now looking forward for the celebration of the Pentecost. In the midst of these two great solemnities, we are invited to focus on the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon us. When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He instructed His Apostles to return to Jerusalem and wait for the Holy Spirit (cf. Acts 1: 4-5). The Apostles makes the first Novena to get prepared for the coming of the Holy Spirit.

 

We have come to the last week of Easter season. During this week the Lord invites us to enter into a deep prayer praying for the outpouring of the Holy Spirit once again on Pentecost day. After the feast of Ascension, some of us have started nine days Novena to the Holy Spirit. For those who have not yet begun, you are not too late, but you can always start soonest.

 

As we pray the Novena to the Holy Spirit, we wait together for the empowerment of the Holy Spirit so that we may begin a real and afresh life. Today’s Gospel speaks about priestly prayer - “Father, the hour has come: Glorify your Son, so that your Son may glorify you,” (John 17:1-2). Jesus prayed this priestly prayer to the heavenly Father for guidance and strength. He asked the Father for a courage to persevere in his suffering that is about to be placed on Him. He gained the strength from Heavenly Father when He prayed this priestly prayer to fulfil the will of the Father. Jesus shows that through prayer there is victory.

 

Every one of us must put efforts in our prayer life. In pray that the Lord gives us courage, strength and perseverance to strive in all our hard work and to accomplish certain tasks. We may find ourselves unable to finish the given task by our own power but in God everything is possible. When things get tough, the tough gets going. Jesus will bring victory for us in all things that we do.

 

Let’s continue to spend extra hours in prayer this coming week as we are preparing for Pentecost Day to experience the empowerment of the Holy Spirit. We were given the Holy Spirit in our baptism, it is this Holy Spirit that empowers us once again to go forth in our ministries. We also pray that we will avoid transmitting this deadly virus. We have been battled with this deadly virus past one year. We pray that our Lord Jesus will help us overcome our fears, increase our confidence, and may the Holy Spirit be our guide, our light, our strength and our hope during this COVID-19 pandemic.