As Catholics, whenever we make the sign of the cross, we pray: “In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit” identifying who our one God is – only one God, yet three distinct Persons in union. The last “Person” here is the most mysterious: pure Spirit, not human or male as Jesus is. Yet as a Person, the Holy Spirit is equally God – and the Spirit desires to be known by us in a very personal way!
In preparation for Pentecost, wearing fire-red vestments at our daily mass at St. Bartholomew parish in Manchester, I offered a Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit. As we prayed together, about 50 of us in worship at Mass, I was struck by the penetrating beauty and power of the prayers.
In the Roman Missal, the prayers of “Preface II of the Holy Spirit: The Action of the Spirit in the Church” it reads:
“For you bestow gifts suited to every season and guide the governing of your Church in wonderful ways. By the power of the Holy Spirit you come unfailingly to her aid, so that with a heart always subject to you she may never fail to seek your help in time of trouble nor cease to give you thanks in time of joy, through Christ our Lord” [pg. 1342-1343, Roman Missal]
This prayer is a prayer for the church and the Body of Christ on earth: but it is also a prayer – and wise, consoling reminder – that the Holy Spirit is willing and ready to come to each of us, to our aid and in our need, however great or small that intention may be.
In that spirit (no pun intended) a faithful Christian woman recently attended a “Mass of Healing” that we offer regularly at my parish of St. Bart’s. With the desire to seek the help of the Spirit “in time of trouble.” She was experiencing an aching, chronic pain in her stomach. After praying at Mass and then receiving prayer, she later described a most close encounter of the Holy Spirit: physically, she “felt a warm tornado in my tummy” that night and, in addition, later described a spiritual healing that she received as she prayed a prayer to forgive those who had hurt or wronged her. She said later that “God is efficient and He doesn’t waste anything” and now – praise God! – she feels different and understands the power of forgiveness.
We are wise to imitate this good, faithful woman who trusted that the Lord would hear her prayer. As she received both a physical and spiritual healing – Jesus desires to heal us in both body and soul – the “Prayer after Communion” for the aforementioned Votive Mass of the Holy Spirit rings true for her and for us:
“Lord our God, who have been pleased to nourish us with heavenly food, pour, we pray, the delights of your Spirit into the recesses of our heart, that what we have devoutly received in time we may possess as a gift for eternity, through Christ our Lord.” [p. 1343.]
Amen and Amen: yes, Come Holy Spirit!
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