Beloved in Christ,
The ultimate goal of every Christian is heaven. After the celebration of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven this past Thursday, the church presents us with readings on this Sunday before Pentecost that suggest that the remainder of our stay on earth should be motivated by a longing for heaven, where Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us. Our entire Christian life, from baptism to death, must replicate that of Christ. In other words, through baptism, we have been made sharers in the life of Christ, that is, his paschal mystery. Hence, our lives must imitate his passion, death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven.
In Stephen's martyrdom in Acts 7, the first Christian martyr, "filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." In the ascension scene, the disciples looked up to heaven as Jesus was taken up in the clouds. Here, Stephen looks up and sees "the heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." All of us must desire heaven even as we plant our feet firmly on the earth. We must never lose our heavenly focus even as we face trials, temptations, and suffering. Jesus is waiting to welcome us home as he did Stephen. In an unusual act, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, enthroned at the right side of the Father in heaven, is seen standing. Jesus rose from his throne to show honor and welcome home the first Christian martyr. What an encouraging message!
Revelation 22 also reminds us of our heavenly calling and longing to see Jesus face-to-face in heaven. Amidst the earthly trials of Christians, there is the joyful expectation of the return of Jesus to judge the living and the dead and, afterward, take us into heaven. As long as we live out our baptismal call and are sustained on the living bread derived from the "tree of life," we will satisfy our thirst for the life-giving water, which is the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit plays a pivotal role in uniting us to Jesus and the Father. Jesus prays for us to be united in him and the Father and in one another and wishes that where he is, we may also be. He is in heaven, and he prays for us to be with him. However, we need the help of the Holy Spirit to witness to Jesus and live a life like His, a life that is the key to heaven. Let us continue to pray the Pentecost Novena for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which we began on Friday after the Ascension. We need the Holy Spirit as our advocate on earth, as Jesus is our advocate in heaven. We pray, "Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev 22:20) and also cry out, "Come, Holy Spirit!"
I invite you all to the Pentecost rally, which will be held at the parish social hall on Sunday at 6 pm, to celebrate the birthday of the church and pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We will pray and praise God as we expect to receive healing and new life that only the Holy Spirit can give and will give to those who believe and thirst for him.
Come, Holy Spirit!
In the Life-Giving Spirit of Christ,
Fr. Bernard Alayode, OP
The ultimate goal of every Christian is heaven. After the celebration of the Ascension of Jesus into heaven this past Thursday, the church presents us with readings on this Sunday before Pentecost that suggest that the remainder of our stay on earth should be motivated by a longing for heaven, where Jesus has gone ahead of us to prepare a place for us. Our entire Christian life, from baptism to death, must replicate that of Christ. In other words, through baptism, we have been made sharers in the life of Christ, that is, his paschal mystery. Hence, our lives must imitate his passion, death, resurrection, and ascension to heaven.
In Stephen's martyrdom in Acts 7, the first Christian martyr, "filled with the Holy Spirit, looked up intently to heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God." In the ascension scene, the disciples looked up to heaven as Jesus was taken up in the clouds. Here, Stephen looks up and sees "the heaven opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God." All of us must desire heaven even as we plant our feet firmly on the earth. We must never lose our heavenly focus even as we face trials, temptations, and suffering. Jesus is waiting to welcome us home as he did Stephen. In an unusual act, the King of kings and the Lord of lords, enthroned at the right side of the Father in heaven, is seen standing. Jesus rose from his throne to show honor and welcome home the first Christian martyr. What an encouraging message!
Revelation 22 also reminds us of our heavenly calling and longing to see Jesus face-to-face in heaven. Amidst the earthly trials of Christians, there is the joyful expectation of the return of Jesus to judge the living and the dead and, afterward, take us into heaven. As long as we live out our baptismal call and are sustained on the living bread derived from the "tree of life," we will satisfy our thirst for the life-giving water, which is the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit plays a pivotal role in uniting us to Jesus and the Father. Jesus prays for us to be united in him and the Father and in one another and wishes that where he is, we may also be. He is in heaven, and he prays for us to be with him. However, we need the help of the Holy Spirit to witness to Jesus and live a life like His, a life that is the key to heaven. Let us continue to pray the Pentecost Novena for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit, which we began on Friday after the Ascension. We need the Holy Spirit as our advocate on earth, as Jesus is our advocate in heaven. We pray, "Come, Lord Jesus!" (Rev 22:20) and also cry out, "Come, Holy Spirit!"
I invite you all to the Pentecost rally, which will be held at the parish social hall on Sunday at 6 pm, to celebrate the birthday of the church and pray for a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit. We will pray and praise God as we expect to receive healing and new life that only the Holy Spirit can give and will give to those who believe and thirst for him.
Come, Holy Spirit!
In the Life-Giving Spirit of Christ,
Fr. Bernard Alayode, OP
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