As we gathered around the newly blessed Easter Fire in front of the church during the Easter Vigil, we lit the Pascal Candle commemorating the Year of our Lord 2023 from the newly blessed fire. How powerful it was to see Deacon Tom carry the Candle into the darkened church and the movement of light throughout the community as our individual candles were lit from the blessed flame. Christ came as the light of the world, the light to dispel the darkness of sin.
The Church invites us to celebrate the resurrection of Christ for 50 days. We listen through Acts of the Apostles the history of the early church. We move from the disciples in a locked room filled with fear, to the faith-filled disciples filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. They burst forth from the locked room and are spreading the message of Jesus Christ to all who would listen to them. From that time on the church spread throughout the world. It is because of that first Pentecost that we gather as the Catholic Community of Sacred Heart.
I am again reminding us all to join in praying the Novena to the Holy Spirit beginning Friday May 19th. Here is the link: https://mycatholic.life/catholic-prayers/novena-to-the-holy-spirit/ If you have to jump in after Friday, no problem, just join in prayer for the gifts of the Holy Spirit. Some have mentioned that they are going to pray the novena together as a family. Go for it! If you have never prayed a novena before, now is a good time to start. May we pray that any fear we have of sharing our faith, any fear we have that paralyzes us in life may be removed so that we can walk not in fear, but as people of faith guided by the Holy Spirit as Lord and giver of life. We are called to be life giving! On Pentecost weekend, May 27-28th Deacon Tom will again carry our Pascal Candle, this time from inside our worship space to the outside world reminding us that we too are empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring the light of Christ to all we meet. Happy Easter to us all! Fr. Bill