Come, Holy Spirit!

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Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

John 20:21-23

Today we celebrate Pentecost, the birthday of the Church. He said He would send His Spirit, and indeed he did. The promise was fulfilled!

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Mary visited Elizabeth

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This feast of the Visitation always makes powerful connections for me.

It’s one thing for God to ask Mary to be the mother of our Lord. That’s miraculous, of course, but we’ve heard the story so many times that we become a bit immune to the wonder of it.

But here we have Mary’s cousin, Elizabeth, recognizing this wonder in a very real sense.

In a loud voice [Elizabeth] exclaimed, “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!”

Luke 1:42
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He ascended into heaven

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I have this amazing image in my mind about what it must have been like to witness Jesus’ ascension first hand. But it’s probably more influenced by movies I’ve seen than anything else.

He was lifted up while they were looking on, and a cloud received Him out of their sight. And as they were gazing intently into the sky while He was going, behold, two men in white clothing stood beside them. They also said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven.”

Acts 1:9-11 NASB

We know it was up. We know there were clouds. We know He rose into the sky, or heaven, depending on the translation.

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St Joseph the worker

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Work is valuable, and I think that people are starting to recognize this. Right now there are way too many people out of work, unable to live out their vocation for the larger contribution to society.

And it’s not about making money.

God put Adam and Eve in the Garden to work the land and tend His creation. From the dawn of humankind, this has been honored by our Maker.

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Crucifixion

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Whenever I pray the Rosary, it’s a chance to really ponder the suffering that Jesus endured for our salvation.

Even death on a cross.

I’d love to think that I would have the strength to offer my life for someone else, even my most cherished loved ones. But I fear that I’d fail.

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The Annunciation

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Today we’re celebrating that God came to us in the form of his Son, Jesus the Christ.

The angel Gabriel was sent from God to a town of Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph, of the house of David, and the virgin’s name was Mary. And coming to her, he said, “Hail, full of grace! The Lord is with you.” But she was greatly troubled at what was said and pondered what sort of greeting this might be.

Then the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name him Jesus. He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his Kingdom there will be no end.”

But Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I have no relations with a man?” And the angel said to her in reply, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God. And behold, Elizabeth, your relative, has also conceived a son in her old age, and this is the sixth month for her who was called barren; for nothing will be impossible for God.”

Mary said, “Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

Luke 1:26-38
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Saint Joseph, spouse of Our Lady

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We don’t hear much about Joseph at all. He’s the quiet father figure, protecting his wife and child from evil.

When Mary became pregnant with the Son of God, we hear this:

When his mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph,
but before they lived together,
she was found with child through the Holy Spirit.
Joseph her husband, since he was a righteous man,
yet unwilling to expose her to shame,
decided to divorce her quietly.
Such was his intention when, behold,
the angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said,
“Joseph, son of David,
do not be afraid to take Mary your wife into your home.
For it is through the Holy Spirit
that this child has been conceived in her.
She will bear a son and you are to name him Jesus,
because he will save his people from their sins.”
When Joseph awoke,
he did as the angel of the Lord had commanded him
and took his wife into his home.

Matthew 1:18-24
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