Reflections from Pentecost

A look back at Pentecost 2011

Last year the children's rosary made hand cut flames each with a gift of the Holy Spirit on it.  We then prayed a novena to the Holy Spirit asking Him to bestow a gift on each family who took one.  Each flame was held individually during a family rosary.  They were prayed over by our morning rosary group at our parish and then the children's rosary also prayed over them at our monthly meeting on Pentecost.  We asked each family who took a flame to say family prayer for 2 weeks and also pray for our Parish.  Shortly after Pentecost I wrote this letter to our three priests at our parish.  The letter I have attached below:

Children's rosary praying over flames at our monthly rosary on Pentecost 2011

I want to take the opportunity to thank you all for your leadership with the events of Pentecost.  Each of you was so integral to making the day a pure joy.  Fr. Moran in his homily the week before Pentecost challenged us all to take a chance on loving another person.  We all took a chance on Pentecost.  I approached each one of you with the idea to give out flames with the gifts of the Holy Spirit on them.  It felt like a huge risk to come to each of you with this idea.  You each took a chance and embraced the idea. As someone who had a first row seat at the responses of people taking the flames I can tell you the chance was well worth it.  The love which was extended to each parishioner was returned 10-fold.    One older women took a flame looked at it and clutched it to her chest.  She looked at me with tears in her eyes and mouthed the words you have touched my heart and hurried out of the church overcome with emotion. Little children as old as two made their way up and reached up to receive the flame for their family.  An African American teenage boy quietly took a flame stood in front of the poster looking for the meaning.  I read the meaning to him.  He had been so quiet that I wondered if he would speak.  And then he did and he said "that sounds good, thank you" and gave me a huge smile ear to ear.  I had been unable to read him and then with the smile I knew we had him, his heart had been touched as well. Some leaned into me and whispered that they would say the prayers.  A petite older man I had met weeks ago with a wheel chair bound daughter Patty came forward. He saw a flame had fallen to the ground. He picked it up and said he felt it was meant for him.  Having witnessed the gentleness of this man for his adult daughter who had such severe disabilities I was not surprised in his humility he would be drawn to the flame forgotten and not noticed on the ground.  

The older gentleman being confirmed was one of the first to receive a flame at the 10:30 and was beaming as he looked at his gift.  The most moving site for me was to see the line after the 5:00 Mass.  A Mass which had lasted longer than a Palm Sunday Mass and yet there was a long line down the full length of the church waiting for up to 15 minutes for their flame.  They weren't chatting or talking on their cell phone or texting.  They were reverently waiting for the Holy Spirit to bestow on them a priceless gift.  Some of the younger ones took longer to separate one flame from another yet the crowd waited without anxiety. I thanked them for their patience and their smiling eyes looked back at me.  The images of each person coming forward are burned into my memory.  Years ago when I first started coming to Church at St. Thomas I was a young relatively healthy dental student.  I often went to the 5:00 Mass and rushed in and out.  I listened to the priest but otherwise felt like a stranger in a crowd of unknown people. To stand before the parishioners of the 5:00 Mass many of whom I still do not know and see love and patience in their eyes was a moment that won't be forgotten.  It was a moment when one small soul says to another soul I prayed for you and you have meaning to me.  I pray the Lord blesses your family.  The receiving soul smiles and in that the miracle of the Lord is present. Amen

Thank you and may the Lord protect each of you as you so beautifully minister to our Parish.