Three days preparation for Pentecost Friday
Mary and the Pentecost
The disciples are gathered together in the Cenacle. They were all prepared to receive the Holy Spirit.
“All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers." (Acts of the Apostles 1:14)
When the Spirit of God came on the day of Pentecost, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was there with all the Apostles, the disciples, and the holy women who had followed the Lord throughout his apostolate. It was in the presence of Mary, and united with her in prayer, that the Apostles received the Holy Spirit. How can we deny this action of the Spirit of God who renews on this day his coming at the creation of the universe, when, as Scripture says, "the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters" (Gen. 1:2)? How can we not associate Mary - or, in Latin, "Maria", which means "the sea", that expanse of water which is surrounded by the lands of the world - with the mysterious waters spoken of in the book of Genesis, which constitute what we can call the first aspect of creation?
How must be our relationship with the Holy Spirit? Our vocation as new creatures is to follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in order to become spiritualized, divinized. Our Eastern Spirituality is a spirituality of divinization. Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to divinize us. There are two phrases in St. Paul which summarize our relationship to the Holy Spirit. In I Thessalonians he writes: "Do not quench the Spirit", and in another translation: "Do not restrain the Holy Spirit", or "Do not stifle inspiration" (5:19). When we hear God speaking to us, and the Holy Spirit inspiring us to do good and to shun evil, let us not close our ears. Otherwise the words of Isaiah will be applied to us; "This people’s heart has groan dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed" (Mt. 13:15). That is quenching the Holy Spirit.
Another expression Paul uses in his Letter to the Ephesians is also worthy to keep in mind in our relationship with the Holy Spirit. He says: "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (5:30). We grieve the Holy Spirit by our sins. This reminds us of Jesus weeping on Jerusalem: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you refused! Behold, your house will be left to you desolate" (Matthew 23:37-38). Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit by our sins, let us not cause Jesus weep on our house, the house of our soul, which will be destroyed if we "do not know the time of our salvation" (Luke 19:41-44).
When the Spirit of God came on the day of Pentecost, the first person he looked at was Mary, who was not an Apostle, but who was, as his spouse, even dearer to his heart; indeed, the Holy Spirit had taken Mary as his spouse on the day of the Incarnation of the Word: by the very fact that Mary had become the Mother of God and of Christ, she also became the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. So, as we prepare to celebrate the Eucharist of the Lord, let us have recourse to Mary, the Mother of Jesus and of us all: let us ask her to prepare us to receive her Son in the Eucharist, let us ask her that the Holy Spirit may always be ever more present throughout the Church of God and throughout the world!
Let us Our Mother Mary to be with us always in the walks of our life. Do not leave her company. When she is with us she will make sure we have the Holy Spirit. All the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Breathe in me O Holy Spirit that my thoughts may all be holy;
Act in me O Holy Spirit that my works, too, may be holy;
Draw my heart O Holy Spirit that I love but what is holy;
Strengthen me O Holy Spirit to defend that is holy;
Guard me then O Holy Spirit that I always may be holy.
Cardinal Mercier's Prayer to the Holy Spirit*
O Holy Spirit, Soul of my soul, I adore You. Enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me. Tell me what I ought to do and command me to do it. I promise to be submissive in everything that You permit to happen to me, only show me what is Your will.
The disciples are gathered together in the Cenacle. They were all prepared to receive the Holy Spirit.
“All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers." (Acts of the Apostles 1:14)
When the Spirit of God came on the day of Pentecost, Mary, the Mother of Jesus, was there with all the Apostles, the disciples, and the holy women who had followed the Lord throughout his apostolate. It was in the presence of Mary, and united with her in prayer, that the Apostles received the Holy Spirit. How can we deny this action of the Spirit of God who renews on this day his coming at the creation of the universe, when, as Scripture says, "the Spirit of God was moving over the face of the waters" (Gen. 1:2)? How can we not associate Mary - or, in Latin, "Maria", which means "the sea", that expanse of water which is surrounded by the lands of the world - with the mysterious waters spoken of in the book of Genesis, which constitute what we can call the first aspect of creation?
How must be our relationship with the Holy Spirit? Our vocation as new creatures is to follow the inspiration of the Holy Spirit in order to become spiritualized, divinized. Our Eastern Spirituality is a spirituality of divinization. Jesus sent us the Holy Spirit to divinize us. There are two phrases in St. Paul which summarize our relationship to the Holy Spirit. In I Thessalonians he writes: "Do not quench the Spirit", and in another translation: "Do not restrain the Holy Spirit", or "Do not stifle inspiration" (5:19). When we hear God speaking to us, and the Holy Spirit inspiring us to do good and to shun evil, let us not close our ears. Otherwise the words of Isaiah will be applied to us; "This people’s heart has groan dull, and their ears are heavy of hearing, and their eyes they have closed" (Mt. 13:15). That is quenching the Holy Spirit.
Another expression Paul uses in his Letter to the Ephesians is also worthy to keep in mind in our relationship with the Holy Spirit. He says: "Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, in whom you were sealed for the day of redemption" (5:30). We grieve the Holy Spirit by our sins. This reminds us of Jesus weeping on Jerusalem: "O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you that kill the prophets and stone those who are sent to you! How often have I longed to gather your children, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you refused! Behold, your house will be left to you desolate" (Matthew 23:37-38). Let us not grieve the Holy Spirit by our sins, let us not cause Jesus weep on our house, the house of our soul, which will be destroyed if we "do not know the time of our salvation" (Luke 19:41-44).
When the Spirit of God came on the day of Pentecost, the first person he looked at was Mary, who was not an Apostle, but who was, as his spouse, even dearer to his heart; indeed, the Holy Spirit had taken Mary as his spouse on the day of the Incarnation of the Word: by the very fact that Mary had become the Mother of God and of Christ, she also became the Spouse of the Holy Spirit. So, as we prepare to celebrate the Eucharist of the Lord, let us have recourse to Mary, the Mother of Jesus and of us all: let us ask her to prepare us to receive her Son in the Eucharist, let us ask her that the Holy Spirit may always be ever more present throughout the Church of God and throughout the world!
Let us Our Mother Mary to be with us always in the walks of our life. Do not leave her company. When she is with us she will make sure we have the Holy Spirit. All the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
St. Augustine's Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Breathe in me O Holy Spirit that my thoughts may all be holy;
Act in me O Holy Spirit that my works, too, may be holy;
Draw my heart O Holy Spirit that I love but what is holy;
Strengthen me O Holy Spirit to defend that is holy;
Guard me then O Holy Spirit that I always may be holy.
Cardinal Mercier's Prayer to the Holy Spirit*
O Holy Spirit, Soul of my soul, I adore You. Enlighten, guide, strengthen and console me. Tell me what I ought to do and command me to do it. I promise to be submissive in everything that You permit to happen to me, only show me what is Your will.
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