Did You Know?

Our Lord promised: “you shall receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you shall be My witnesses..” (Acts 1:8) That promise was kept at Pentecost and continues to be experienced in the lives of believers today! 

What are some of the expressions of that spiritual power that you have received? The power of prayer, the power of forgiveness, the power of persuasion, the power of perseverance, the power of example. . .just to name a few! The truth is that we have received enormous power. The question is, are we using that power? Are we letting the Holy Spirit shape and energize our daily lives? St. Paul says that “the Spirit which you have been given is not a Spirit of fearfulness, but a Spirit of love, power, and self -control!” (2 Timothy 1:7) We have all been given the Spirit to be witnesses – men and women whose lifestyles, personal priorities, demeanor, and putting God first gives “proof” of the reality of God! “You [ALL] shall be My witnesses!” So many of you show concern about your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren who know nothing about God. We share a real concern about their seeming ‘indifference’ (if not hostility) to the things of God – and anything spiritual! Too many blame themselves – “I thought that we had raised them right’. . .’took them to Mass’. . . ‘made sure that they received their Sacraments’… ‘we sent them to Catholic schools – Now certainly most of us would admit that there is probably more that we could have done in teaching and putting God first in all things! How many times did we allow other activities – sports events, school events, even recreation -- to take precedence over worship? We have all been guilty of that at times of not putting God first! But what about NOW? Yes, your adult children do know about your Godcentered priorities for life and are aware of your unhappiness over their ‘disconnect’ from the Church or any expression of spiritual life. Are you now “fearful” about bringing it up? Are you afraid to be the witness you have been called and empowered to be – beginning with your own family? Are you afraid of offending them? Of making them “uncomfortable” or yourself feeling “uncomfortable”? (It has been wisely said that the moral collapse of our society – and the moral collapse of our families – comes from an “addiction” to Comfort, which necessarily leads to Compromise in matters large and small; which inevitably leads to Complacency – to indifference to Truth; and Complacency leads to Collapse.) What can you do now? Certainly, pray for your family members. Prayer is an enormous power, as you know! Do your family members know that you are praying for them? Do you ask them what they would like you to ask God for them? Do they know that you believe in the power of prayer? Do you invite them to Mass with you? Do you share articles about the Faith, recommend books or spiritually sound television (like “The Chosen”) to them? Do you send cards with a Christian message for birthdays, anniversaries, graduations? Have you considered writing letters to your family members, sharing your thoughts and spiritual insights? Remember that you have received the same Holy Spirit Who inspired Paul and the other writers of the Epistles and Who can be your inspiration in writing letters from the heart to people that you love and for whom you have concern! Use your “Pentecost Power” every day – God is counting on you!