Pentecost

05-30-2020Weekly ReflectionFather Prince Raja

Covid-19 pandemic has challenged the status quo of the contemporary society on several fronts. Its impact has been felt across almost every aspect of life, including healthcare services, economics, entertainment industry and sports, work and family life, and in religious and educational practices. Amidst these global disruptions, the winners have been the contemporary twins, Information Technology (IT) and internet (webinar Zoom). I really appreciate and thank you all for your great support towards our parishes during this uncertain times. I remembered all your family members and your intentions in my daily private mass.

Without the freedom to go on with normal life, overcome by the anxiety of the unknown, humanity mourns for itself. Humanity is in the dark, like a seed that is buried beneath the soil, waiting for the first showers. For those of us who take religion and God seriously, the spiritual questions still linger over our heads. The role of God in the current struggle between humans and this invisible virus does not make sense. As we reopen our parishes for this weekend solemnity of Pentecost: we make sure to follow all the guidelines of our Diocese of La Crosse. We have compliance mangers and volunteers from each parishes who had received training from our diocese regarding guidelines and they make sure all the guidelines implemented.

The decent of the Holy Spirit in the Acts of the Apostles is described with the help of two powerful images: Wind and Fire. "…suddenly there came from heaven a sound as of a violent wind which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and there appeared to them tongues as of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them" (Acts 2:2-3). While speaking of the wind, Jesus says elsewhere in the Gospel of John: "The wind blows where it pleases; you can hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit" (Jn 3:8). And fire is a symbol of renewal, empowering, new start (Lk 3:9, 16; Lk 12:49).

I think this is the grace that we can pray for ourselves today as we reopen our parishes, and for the church, on its birthday: to be humble to be surprised by the Spirit who works in his own way to renew the face of the earth. Yes, to be humble to accept the possibility that the Holy Spirit might work even outside the visible confines of the church. At this situation our prayers and support to all vulnerable people who live in assisted living facility and nursing homes and hospitals and homebound who are physically apart from us but spiritually together.