Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022
Come Holy Spirit!
~ Sequence, Veni Sancte Spiritus
Brothers and Sisters,
“Oh, let’s go fly a kite / Up to the highest height / Let’s go fly a kite and send it soaring…” The uplifting music from the film Mary Poppins is a cherished childhood memory of mine. The “idea” of building a kite and having hours of fun flying it in the air was thrilling. To be honest, the experience of prepping and getting my rig to fly could be frustrating. More often than not, my plastic kite would rip or tear during assembly. Then when flying, getting the proper lift was difficult. Still, when finally airborne, keeping it clear of trees in the neighborhood was no easy feat. I think back to all the times as a kid my kite became snared on a wayward branch and the resulting frustration. Let’s just say I never experienced the unbridled kite-flying success Mary Poppin’s two charges experienced in the movie.
It seems one thing is certain in kite flying, as in life, our struggles, obstacles, and snares will be numerous. And like the early disciples, we want to know how to get our lives to fly smoothly. That’s when we must say, “Come Holy Spirit, Come! ” Help us, Lord, get up each time we falter. Show us how to put our priorities in order and establish strong spiritual habits. We are all human; at times, we may feel as flimsy as a kite and at the whims of chance for a disaster. And at times, we may question our disappointments, allowing ourselves to wonder if these setbacks are punishment for our disobedience. Or even still if God is abandoning us because of unfaithfulness. In times of doubt, I want you to be assured of God’s enduring faithfulness and desire to guide us through our snares and struggles to realize a purpose-filled life. His Spirit, our Advocate, is always with us, leading us on the path our Lord intended for each of us. Our Parish engaged in the Pentecost Novena this past week, imploring the Holy Spirit to guide and sanctify our Church and us. To that end, our Diocese and the entire Church have been listening to the promptings of the Spirit during the Synod. By engaging all the faithful through the Synodal process, the Church is better able to ride the graces of the Spirit.
We need your presence, participation, and prayers! To be a healthy parish, we have to remain committed to listening in prayer to the Spirit at work. Our Good Shepherd Chapel remains dedicated to adoring the Lord and praying for vocations. There is always room for more Adorers to commit to an hour of prayer each week. Perhaps your schedule does not allow for committed Adoration, but I still encourage you to take advantage of quiet time with the Lord any time of day. Encounter Him, and He will invite you into a deeper relationship with Him!
Are you trying to figure out your place or role in the Church? Christians are called to ongoing discernment, allowing God to reveal our unique identity and giftedness and respond to a particular Life and service — a vocation. Engaged, dating or married couples can participate in our upcoming Marriage Retreat: United as One (sign up at olphparish.org/united, as the deadline is Monday, June 6). Our forthcoming Life in the Spirit Seminar, happening on the weekend of June 17-18, aims to help participants appreciate the Spirit at work in their lives and gain confidence in asking for our supernatural Advocate’s guidance and support. Get registered for this dynamic event with Nationally recognized speakers by visiting olphparish.org/life-in-the-spirit.
Let’s make this a season of renewal in the Parish – as we aim to assist all parishioners in having an encounter with the Lord and appreciating the role they have in the Body of Christ. We’ll conclude our Year of the Eucharist, where we focus on the Lord Jesus’ presence in the Word, the Faithful, in the Presider, and the Eucharist, with a Eucharistic Procession on the Feast of the Body and Blood of Christ on Sunday, June 19 after the 11 am Mass. Please let us know if you’ll be attending the procession by clicking here. Thank you for taking the time to sign up, which helps us be good hosts, ensuring there will be enough food for the social following the procession.
I look forward to seeing you all there!
Come Holy Spirit, and enrich Our Lady of Perpetual Help parish!
Rev. Michael S. Triplett