St. Matthew Catholic Church

Weekly Message     

23. The Spirit Rekindles Our Hope

Dear brothers and sisters,   

      The Pentecost is the birthday of the Church! It is the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, the very breath of God upon the apostles, the Church, and upon each of us. Pentecost is a living promise that the Spirit of God is with us now, especially in times when we feel weak, lost, or hopeless.

     All of us use a smart phone. It keeps us connected 24/7 to calls, video calls, texts, internet, social media, etc. The Spirit, too, spiritually connects us to God at all times. (Rom.8:26) He is our divine Wi-Fi, always on, connected, never drops the signal unless we turn it off.

     A smartphone offers GPS and Maps to help us navigate. It’s flashlight illuminates our darkness. The Spirit, too, acts as our divine GPS, guiding us along the right path in life. (John 16:13) Even when we take wrong turns, He recalculates and brings us back toward holiness.

     A smartphone has Siri, Alexa, Google Assistant, and AI to respond to voice commands. The Spirit responds to us when we ask His assistance; He whispers in our hearts the will of God. (Isaiah 30:21) “The Spirit isn’t artificial intelligence. He is divine intelligence working in us.”

     When the disciples were locked in fear and confused about their future, the Holy Spirit changed everything. The Spirit came like a rushing wind and flames of fire, not to destroy but to ignite courage, rekindle faith, and breathe life into their lost souls. From fear to boldness, from silence to proclamation, from despair to mission - this is the miracle of Pentecost. Remember, “a smart phone without power is useless; and a Christian without the Holy Spirit is not smart, but powerless.” Let’s be powered up always.

    Prayers and blessings!

Msgr. Xavier
                                               Bishop Kelly's Pastoral Letter 
                                              Carta Pastoral - Pentecostes -Espanol

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