It is Pentecost, and I thank God that we are celebrating the day that the Holy Spirit came down upon the Apostles. This is the Birthday of the Church. And boy do we ever need the Holy Spirit. Please pray and beg the Lord that all of us may grow ever more responsive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit. Pray that all of us may have a release of those gifts given to us at Baptism and Confirmation. The Holy Spirit has given us these gifts to build and strengthen the Church. Are we using all the gifts that the Spirit has given us? This is a good question. I would venture to say that all of us, including myself, could do an even better job of responding to the Holy Spirit, as well as, using those gifts that the Spirit has provided to us. These gifts help to unite the Church. Now the sevenfold gifts of the Holy Spirit: Wisdom, Understanding, Counsel, Fortitude, Knowledge, Piety and Fear of the Lord are given to strengthen each of us as individuals and also to build the Church. The Charisms of the Spirit are given to build the Church, they are not given because someone is necessarily holy or not. These Charisms are the Holy Spirit’s gift to the Church. Some of these gifts are: words of knowledge, gifts of healing, discernment of spirits, prophesy, kinds of tongues and interpretation of tongues. These are some of the Charisms of the Spirit. All of us should be open to, and be willing to, receive these Charisms of the Spirit. They will help to bring healing and unity to the Church!
Fr. Thomas P. Galarneault