O God, Who by the mystery of today's great feast sanctify Your whole Church in every people and nation, pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth and, with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed, fill now once more the hearts of believers. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, Your Son, Who lives and reigns with You in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever.
the mystery of today's great feast – Pentecost is a mysterious feast indeed. Take a moment to reflect on how the Holy Spirit appeared in a noise like a strong, driving wind and how He came to rest on the apostles in tongues as of fire. Think about how He made the apostles speak in many different languages and how He made those listening hear in his or her own language. Consider how the Holy Spirit lives in us when we are in a state of grace. We are His temple. What a truly awesome mystery!
sanctify Your whole Church in every people and nation – The miracles of language at Pentecost are a sign, a foreshadowing, that the Church would spread across the whole world and present the Gospel in the language of every people. And the Church has done exactly that. Let us pray that people will open themselves up to the sanctification God offers through His Holy Church in every place.
pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit across the face of the earth – The Holy Spirit showers us with His gifts: wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord. We should take some time on this Pentecost to reflect on how these gifts are operating in our lives and to pray to the Holy Spirit to increase them and to give us the grace to embrace them and use them well.
with the divine grace that was at work when the Gospel was first proclaimed – By God's grace, three thousand people were baptized on the first Christian Pentecost. Their hearts were set on fire, and they longed to plunge into the depths of God's love. That same divine grace is at work today. Do we respond with the same loving intensity?
fill now once more the hearts of believers – Fill our hearts with Your grace, dear Lord. Fill our hearts with the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. Fill our hearts with Your love. Fill our minds with knowledge and wisdom. Fill our souls with the very presence of the Holy Spirit, indeed, with the indwelling presence of the Blessed Trinity, that we may enjoy You now as we wait to see You face to face in Heaven.
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