Holy Spirit Mondays: Start Thinking about Pentecost

Fr. Thomas Colyandro
9 minutes ago
2 min read

Each week I send a short reflection to help you deepen your relationship with the Holy Spirit.

Read:

"If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies also through his Spirit who dwells in you" (Romans 8:1).

Ponder:

As we fast approach Great Lent, Holy Week, and Pascha, it may seem odd to be told to start thinking about Pentecost. But it makes perfect sense.

First, it is important to remain firmly planted in the moment. In other words, we need to embrace each day as it is given to us. This is especially true when it comes to the cycle of Christian seasons and, more specifically, the cycle of feasts and the commemoration of saints. This creates context for our faith and grounds us in life.

Second, it is equally important to live with a sense of expectation. In other words, we already embrace God and all that He has done for us in the context of creation, redemption, and sanctification. This is especially impactful (or should be) when it comes to our own lives and, more specifically, the cycles of our spiritual, psychological, intellectual, and relational realities. This enables hope as a possibility amidst the difficulties and provides for joy amidst the comforts in life.

Third, it is ultimately important to live with a sense of, and desire for, living through, with, and in the Holy Spirit who is God in our midst (of course, the Father and Son are with us too, but the Holy Spirit has a particular role with us after the Ascension). In other words, while it is vital to remember and, in some way, re-experience Christ's journey to the Cross through our own repentance, it is also perfectly reasonable, and expected really, to look with great hope toward the Resurrection, Ascension, and Pentecost. This is the culmination of our faith and its lived reality.

Pray:

"Most Holy Spirit, save me from myself and sanctify me."

Ask:

If you have a question or a prayer request, please reach out here.