Pentecost Sunday, Year C: Homily by Fr. Isaac Chima

Theme: The Unifying and Renewing Power of the Holy Spirit

Readings: Acts: 2:1-11; Rm 8:8-17; Jn 14:15-16,23b-26

Dearest brothers and sisters, today the Mother Church celebrates her birthday, the solemnity of the Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples with tongues of fire, empowering them to speak in many languages. It was the day the Holy Spirit confirmed the institution of the Church and empowered the disciples of Jesus to begin the ministry entrusted to them by Jesus.

Actually, the term ‘Pentecost’ means the fiftieth day, and it was on the fiftieth day after the resurrection that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. According to the Old Testament traditions, the feast of the Pentecost was already an important feast in the life and history of the Jews. On this day, the Israelites celebrated two events in their history. First, on Pentecost, the Jews commemorated the giving of the ten commandments to Moses by God on Mount Sinai, which happened fifty days after the Passover. They called it the feast of weeks (in Hebrew language, ‘chang ha shevout’). Secondly, on the Pentecost, Jews also celebrated their agricultural feast, offering the first loaves from their farm to God. They called it the festival of Harvest (in Hebrew language, Yom ha-bikkurim). These two great Jewish feasts, celebrated on the Pentecost, attracted a considerable number of Jews from around the globe to Jerusalem, allowing them to connect with their faith and homeland. It was due to this large assembly of Jews in Jerusalem for their feasts that many people from various parts of the world were present on the day the Holy Spirit descended upon the disciples, as described in the first reading. So, Christ chose the best day to send the Holy Spirit upon his disciples and to inaugurate his church – the day the whole world gathered in Jerusalem – so that the message of the resurrection will reach the whole world.

The feast of Pentecost is very important in the life of the church because of the impact of the Holy Spirit on the early Church, the contemporary Church, and on each of us. It was the Holy Spirit that transformed the apostles from fearful men into men who were filled with strength and courage to preach the Good News to all humanity. It is essential to recall that prior to Pentecost, the disciples were afraid of going out to preach the Good News; however, once the Holy Spirit descended upon them, they rushed out of the house and began to proclaim the message of the resurrection boldly. The presence of the Holy Spirit made the difference and has continued to make a difference. Therefore, let us pray for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our Churches and homes, to liberate us from our fears and to empower us with the courage to be effective witnesses of Christ wherever we live and wherever we go.

The coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles also signified that the hand of God has once more assumed control over humanity. In the book of Genesis, chapter eleven, as we read in the first reading of the vigil mass of this feast, we heard the story of the Tower of Babel. In this story, God used the power of different languages to confuse and disperse humanity all over the world when they wanted to build a tower of equality with Him. However, on the feast of Pentecost, God utilized the same tool of multiple languages to reunite humanity. The first reading of today told us that the disciples spoke in many languages on the Pentecost, yet people of other tongues understood them in their own languages. It was indeed a great unity through language. Dear friends, what this unity of language tells us is that Pentecost is a feast of unity and new life. It is the celebration of the outpouring of new life into the church and the world because the hand of God has touched humanity once again. This feast challenges us, who have been blessed with the gifts of the Holy Spirit, to live the life of unity and newness.

Dear friends, if the hand of God has touched you through the Holy Spirit, your life should bear the fruits of unity and newness; your life should testify to the presence of the Holy Spirit. This was the point St Paul was making in the second reading of today. He indicated that there should be a clear distinction between the lives of those who are governed by the flesh (meaning those who have not received the Spirit) and the lives of those who are guided by the Spirit. St. Paul expects that all of us in whom the Spirit dwells to live exemplary lives in the world. It would be quite unfortunate if those who embody the Spirit of Christ were to lead lives contrary to Christ's teachings, indulging instead in a life that satisfies the flesh. The lives of those who possess the Spirit of Christ should yield the fruits of love, joy, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

Let us, therefore, ask the Holy Spirit to intercede for us in today’s mass and that the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit, which have been bestowed upon us and the Church—namely, the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, understanding, piety, and fear of the Lord—may be revitalized, enabling us to live a renewed life characterized by unity, love, peace, harmony, charity, and kindness everyday of our life. Let us unite our voices with that of today's psalmist in prayer, saying, "Lord, send forth your spirit, and renew the face of the earth." Amen.

Peace be with you.

Happy feast of the Pentecost.

Rev. Fr Isaac Chinemerem Chima

 PENTECOST SUNDAY, YEAR C: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH

THEME: THE HOLY SPIRIT IS HERE FOR GOOD

(John 14:15-16.23b-26)

Today the Church celebrates the fulfilment of a promise. The Church celebrates her life day and birthday. The Church rejoices for her hope that was not made hopeless.

Since the Ascension, the body of Christ in obedience to her Lord has fixed all her hope above, has directed all her gaze in the heavens, has been on invocation for the power from above, has been in wait, crying out 'venite' and putting aside vanities.

Alas, here He comes. He comes to us as He came upon the Apostles on the Pentecost Day.

 

PENTECOST DEFINED

Pentecost in the Church is a celebration in commemoration of the decent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and other followers of Christ who gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of weeks.

The term Pentecost comes from the Greek 'Pentecoste' meaning fiftieth. It was originally a harvest festival. The festival was celebrated on 50th day after Passover. Taking its Old Testament origin, it was referred to as the feast of first fruits (Numbers 28:26).

Today, we celebrate not the agricultural harvest in Pentecost but the harvest of the Father's gift to us. It is a Thanksgiving celebration of God's abiding presence.

It is the 50th day after the Passover celebrated not with bulls but with the Son of God. We have a lot of reasons to celebrate as we welcome in our midst the Holy Spirit of God.

 

GOD LOVES US

Jesus in His love for us calls us to love Him in return. The Holy Spirit is the love of the Father and the Son. Jesus wants us to be plunged into His Divine love. He intercedes to His Father on our behalf. He tells the Father what is lacking in us. He sees the empty areas that need divine filling. He knows our openness to have Him in us. And He pronounced the solemn promise. The Father in love sent Jesus to us, in love too, the Son prays the Father to send the Holy Spirit after his Ascension.

 

HE SENDS THE COUNSELLOR

The counsellor promised by Jesus is the Holy Spirit. He is God. He is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. He comes to live with us. His mission is to be with us. He comes to dwell within us as temples. He comes to make us abodes of divinity. He comes to lead us away from error into the truth. He is not a Spirit of confusion and as such comes to break every barrier. He comes with gifts of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsels, fortitude, piety and fear of the Lord. He is not coming as a visitor that goes after. He comes in to stay.

Let us make Him a home today within us. Let us listen to the spiritual directives He gives us and be open to receive the gifts He has in stall for us.

 

THE HOLY SPIRIT WILL TEACH US THE SECRETS OF FRUITFULNESS

Having received the gifts of the Holy Spirit as promised in baptism, confirmation and other Sacraments, the Holy Spirit teaches us how best to be fruitful with the gifts. That has to do with bearing fruit. Jesus will challenge His followers to bear fruits that would last.

The Holy Spirit nourishes through our cooperation the gifts bestowed upon us. He teaches us and reminds us of the will of God for us. The will of God for us is that we bear fruit. In Genesis, God's command to man was to be fruitful and multiply. Jesus teaches that for one to bear much fruit he must remain one with Him. Jesus maintained: "cut of from me, you can do nothing". Jesus curses a fig tree for fruitlessness. O yes, even outside the season of fruiting. Jesus insists that we bear fruit in season and out of season.

The Holy Spirit teaches us the right things to do and reminds us of the wrong things we ought not to do.

To bear good fruits we are to remain good students of the Holy Spirit. This teaching of the Holy Spirit is so necessary because it is through the fruits that God's people are known.

May you produce the fruits of charity, joy, patience, peace, kindness, goodness, longanimity, mildness, faith, modesty, self-control and chastity.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

As we celebrate the Holy Spirit today, may He enkindle in us the fire of His love, may He blow away whatever that doesn't glorify God in us, may He put to flight spiritual laziness of any sort, May He take possession of our souls and make us all His. May He be a tower of strength to us.

May the Spirit be a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day.

May He empower us to preach the Good News with our words and deeds. May He keep us always connected to God in holiness through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Pentecost Sunday to you (Yr C)

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 

Holy Spirit Sunday - Pentecost, Year B: Homily by Fr Isaac Chima

Theme: Come, O Holy Spirit and renew the face of the earth

Readings: Acts 2:1-11; Gal 5:16-25; Jn. 15:26-27,16:12-15

Dearest brothers and sisters, today the mother church celebrates her birthday, the solemnity of the Pentecost, the day the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples with tongues of fire, and they spoke many languages. It was on the Pentecost that the mission of the Church to all tongues, all peoples and all nations was inaugurated.

Actually, the Pentecost means the fiftieth day, and it was on the fiftieth day after the resurrection that Jesus sent the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. According to the Old Testament tradition, the feast of the Pentecost was already an important feast in the life and history of the Jews. On that day, the Israelites celebrated two events in their lives. First, on the Pentecost, the Jews commemorated the giving of the Ten Commandments to Moses by God on Mount Sinai, which happened fifty days after the Passover. They called it the feast of weeks (in Hebrew language, ‘chang ha shevout’). Second, on the day of the Pentecost, the Jews also celebrated their agricultural feast, the offering of the first loaves from their farm to God. They called it the festival of Harvest (in Hebrew language, ‘Yom ha-bikkurim’). These two great Jewish feasts, which the Jews celebrated on the Pentecost, drew a good number of Jews from all over the world to Jerusalem to identify with their religion and their country. It was on account of this that many people from all over the world were present the day the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples as we read in the first reading. So, Christ chose the best day to send the Holy Spirit upon his disciples and to inaugurate his Church, the day when the whole world would be gathered in Jerusalem, so that the message of the resurrection will reach the whole world.

The feast of the Pentecost is very important in the life of the Church because of the impact of the Holy Spirit in the life of the early Church, in the life of the present Church and in the life of all of us. It was the Holy Spirit that changed the apostles from men who were afraid into men who were filled with strength and courage to preach the Good News to all humanity. Recall that before the day of Pentecost, the disciples were afraid of going out to preach the Good News, but when the Holy Spirit came upon them, they dashed out of the House and started proclaiming the message of the resurrection without fear. The presence of the Holy Spirit made the difference, and has continued to make a difference. Let us, therefore, pray for the presence of the Holy Spirit in our own Churches and Homes, to free us from fear and to empower us with the courage to be good testimonies of Christ wherever we live and wherever we go.

The coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles also signified that the hand of God has once more taken control of humanity. In the book of Genesis chapter eleven, as we read in the first reading of the vigil mass of this feast, which told us the story of the tower of Babel, God used the power of different languages to confuse and disperse humanity all over the world when humanity wanted to build a tower of equality with Him. But on the feast of Pentecost, God used the same instrument of many languages to unite humanity again. The first reading of today told us that the disciples spoke many languages, but people of other languages understood them in their own tongues. What a great unity through language. Dear friends, what that unity of language tells us is that the Pentecost is a feast of unity and new life. It is the celebration of the outpouring of new life into the church and into the world because the hand of God has touched humanity once again. It is a feast that challenges us who have received the gifts of the Holy Spirit to live the life of unity and newness. If the hand of God has touched you through the Holy Spirit, your life should bear the fruits of unity and newness.    

Dear brothers and sisters, we should also remember that on the feast of the Pentecost, the Holy Spirit broke the wall of division and misunderstanding among human beings by creating a common understanding between many different languages. On that day, those who spoke Italian understood Arabic, and those who spoke Russia understood Aramaic, those who spoke English understood French; there was no misunderstanding. We can say that the Holy Spirit, the author of unity, spoke our language on the day of the Pentecost, and created unity among men. Hence, the same Holy spirit wants us to speak His own language too. This is the challenge for all of us. But then, what is the language of the Holy Spirit. The language of the Holy Spirit is clearly written in the second reading of today. It says the fruits of the Holy Spirit are love, joy, patients, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These fruits are the languages of the Spirit. The church wants us to start speaking this language. Speaking this language means living our lives according to these wonderful fruits of the Holy Spirit. If you are living your life according to these fruits of the Holy Spirit, you are already speaking the language of the Holy Spirit

It is however sad that many people in our world have chosen to constantly speak the language of the devil instead of the language of the Holy spirit. The second reading also told us what the language of the devil is. It says: ‘now the works of the flesh are immorality, impurity, licentiousness, dissension, party spirit, envy, drunkenness, carousing and the like, those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God. These evil things listed above are the languages of the devil. Those who live their lives according to them are speaking the language of the devil.

Let us pray in today’s Mass that the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit which have been poured on us and on the church, the gifts of wisdom, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, understanding, piety, and fear of the Lord will help us to speak the language of the Holy Spirit everyday of our life. Amen

Happy Feast Day

Fr Isaac Chima

 

SOLEMNITY OF PENTECOST, YEAR B: HOMILY BY FR. JUSTIN ADIELE

THEME: “THE SPIRIT THAT RENEWS THE FACE OF GOODNESS IN US”

INTRODUCTION:

The word “Pentecost” is from a Greek derivation; “Pentekostos” or “Pente-koste”, meaning “fiftieth day”. It is a Jewish holiday festival of Weeks which falls seven weeks after the Jewish Passover Feast. This “Weeks Festival” (“Shavuot” in Hebrew) stems from Leviticus 23:16, which called the people to count seven weeks or fifty days from the end of Passover, and present an offering of new grains to the Lord. This ‘Shavuot’ or Weeks Festival was the second great feast in the Hebrews’ annual cycle of holy days. Many, who have benefited from the year’s harvest, gather to thank the Lord of the harvest with grain offerings. It was on this day that the Holy Spirit descended on Mary and the Apostles; exactly fifty days after Easter. In the same context of bringing new grain offerings to the Lord, the Lord offered and poured out His own fruits/gifts of the Holy Spirit to the world.

 

THE FIRST READING (ACTS. 2: 1 – 11)

In the first reading, we read about the out pouring of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the effects. They began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance, imparting in the lives of the many races and tribes of people gathered for the Weeks Festival. The Holy Spirit renewed the face of their communication, and they spoke in the language everyone could understand. Their communication with the power of the Holy Spirit attracted many towards them. Today, we need the Holy Spirit to also renew the communication amongst us, amongst brothers and amongst nations who are still at war with each other. May the Holy eliminate every bridge in communication and help us to understand rather than misunderstand one another and live peacefully with one another!

 

THE SECOND READING (GAL. 5: 6 – 25)

In the second reading, we read about the fruits of the Holy Spirit which God offers to the world to renew our walks from walking in the darkness of the flesh, to walking by the Holy Spirit. We need and invoke the Holy Spirit upon us today, to change from walking in immorality, impurity, licentiousness, idolatry, sorcery, enmity, strife, jealousy, anger, hatred, selfishness, dissension, party spirit, envy and drunkenness; to walking in love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control, and appeasing one another. The Holy Spirits renews us to appease and not to provoke one another.

 

THE GOSPEL READING (JN. 15: 26 – 27; 16: 12 – 15)

In the gospel reading, Jesus pre-empted the Apostles, that when the Holy Spirit comes, He will renew them in the truth and in their witnessing for Christ. And today, at the festival of weeks, they received the Holy Spirit and courageously sprang into witnessing, away from every fear, and idle, silent or cold faith.

 

CONCLUSION

The Holy Spirit comes to renew the face/warmth of God in us; the face/warmth of goodness. The Holy Spirit renews us in good communication with one another; renews us in walking in love and righteousness with one another; and renews us in fervent witnessing for Christ to the glory of God and our own glory. May the same Spirit pour forth upon us the gifts and unction for every good work, in relation to the world around us and in relation to God, without ever growing cold in faith and in love!

Happy Feast of Pentecost!

Fr. Justin

 PENTECOST SUNDAY, YEAR B: REFLECTION BY FR JULIAN EKEH

THEME: RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT

(John 20:19-23)

Today is a great solemnity, the Pentecost Sunday. The Church celebrates the decent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles. It is the continuation of the glorious mysteries and, in fact, a very significant one indeed. We celebrate the third glorious mystery today.

Today, the Church calls to mind an event that coincided with the agricultural feast of the Jews and redefined it. We celebrate the fact that a mighty wind blew, to blow away fear and blow in courage and power from above. The Church celebrates the great miracle of recreation. The Church thanks God for the unction with which she began to function. The Church marks her birthday today.

The Church celebrates a reawakening and a return to consciousness and mission effected by the Ruah Adonai. The Church celebrates God-breathedness, the breath that vivifies and revitalizes. The Church calls to mind a transcendental replication of what happened in Eden when God breathed into the motionless man and made him live. The Church witnesses the prophecy of Ezekiel about the spirit that blew on the lifeless bones and gave them life. We celebrate answered prayers that our being locked up in the upper room was not in vain. That the voice of prayer is never silent.

We celebrate in Thanksgiving the fulfilment of the promise made by Jesus, that He will not leave us orphans.

We celebrate our adoption as children of God, for by the Spirit we have received, we can comfortably call God Abba Father.

We celebrate our liberation and the freedom of the children of God, just like a tied fowl or a caged bird celebrates when freed. We rejoice that we have been privileged to be given the gift we cannot merit so much to receive.

We celebrate the New Pentecost.

 

WHAT IS PENTECOST?

It is derived from the Greek 'pentekoste', which means literally '50th'. It is an agricultural feast, a wheat harvest festival (cf Exodus 34:22). It is a Jewish feast with which they marked the end of their Passover celebration. It is also used to celebrate the Shavuot, which is the feast of weeks in Hebrew. It is the celebration of the seven weeks after Passover.

With time, this Jewish festival became an occasion for commemorating the giving of the Torah by God to Moses on Mount Sinai.

It is good to underscore that this celebration gathered a good number of people from far and wide into Jerusalem. It was a homecoming for the Jews in diaspora, a pilgrimage for foreigners, an economic adventure for business tycoons, and tourism as well for great and small alike.

 

WHAT'S SPECIAL?

What we celebrate is not the Jewish Pentecost. We are not celebrating the Shavuot. Not the giving of the Torah to Moses, not the homecoming nor the pilgrimages. Oh no!

We are celebrating that on this ordinary day of Jewish celebration, something extraordinary happened. It is no longer the giving of the Torah to Moses but the giving of the Holy Spirit to the apostles. It is not a thanksgiving for a journey made by Moses but a thanksgiving for an ascent made by Jesus, the Son of God, which necessitated the advent of the Holy Spirit. It is not the old law that held people bound but the new law of love that set people free. We celebrate that on this day, the Holy Spirit took the centre stage. Attention was focused on the apostles, passivity was translated to activity, the captives were liberated, and the fearful became fearless. A mysterious proclamation resounded, and the whole tongues of the world were unified by the Spirit of understanding.

In a special way, today's celebration will bring an end to the Easter season.

 

WHY WE NEED THE HOLY SPIRIT

Proclamation

What Jesus taught His disciples was meant to be communicated. But with timidity that communication cannot occur. So, with the tongues of fire on their heads, they were set on fire to proclaim the Love of God in such a manner that people even accused them of being drunk. Be open to that fire of the Spirit and communicate Divine wisdom by your words and actions. May it not be quenched.

 

Baptism

Being confirmed and commissioned by the Holy Spirit, they received the authority of regeneration, of bringing people into the body of Christ. Those who received the communication of the word had their rebirth and new life in Christ. 3000 were baptized on the Pentecost day. How are you operating with the baptismal grace you received? It is a day to rekindle the light of our baptism and carry the same light to everywhere we may find ourselves.

 

Effective functioning in the world

To function effectively in the world, we need the Holy Spirit. The word of God says, take away the Spirit they return to clay (psalm 146:4).

We will do nothing without the Spirit of God. We will be lifeless without it. We will be empty without it. Our prayers will be a waste of time without the Spirit, and our hope will be useless without the Holy Spirit.

 We need the Holy Spirit to live holy life. That's why Jesus says: "Receive the Holy Spirit." The Church needs it to give and receive forgiveness. He is the forgiving Spirit. We need it to live in us and work with us, He is the wisdom of God. We need it to replace our unholy desires and steer up holy deeds. "Receive the Holy Spirit " means receive answers to your prayers, it means receive fulfilment of my promises to you, it means you're not alone, it means God will confuse your enemies, they will look at your success and will not understand what's going on, it means that the righteous will gather around you for Thanksgiving, it means receive reason for living, it means receive power to forge ahead. It means receive power from above. It means that the powers from below can never stop you from soaring high.

May you receive this Spirit, may the operations of the Holy Spirit destroy the activities of the evil cabals who are holding the progress of this country and of our world.

May God bless His word in our hearts.

 

LET US PRAY

 Holy Spirit of God, Spirit of the Risen Christ, fall afresh in us. Fill us with power from above. Fill us with courage and wisdom to face and overcome the world. Fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in us the fire of your love. Raise up for us leaders with fear of God and holy dreams. Burn to ashes the power of sin and the agents of darkness.  Give us the grace to succeed in all our endeavours. May we enjoy Your abiding presence and work with it for our salvation and those of the whole world through Christ our Lord. Amen

Happy Pentecost Sunday

Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh

 

Thursday of 7^th Week of Easter: reflection

Theme: Come, O Holy Spirit, our defender

Reading: Acts 22:30;23:6-11

On one of the occasions where Jesus informed His disciples that they will be arrested, beaten and taken to court or synagogues on account of His name, He immediately assured them that they should never worry about what to say or how to defend themselves at such moments, because the Holy Spirit will teach them what to say (Mk 13:9-11; Lk 12:11).

The narrative of the first reading of today showed us Jesus’ faithfulness to His word, for He cannot fail.

St. Paul was arrested, beaten and brought before a tribunal to be tried and imprisoned. When he was asked to defend himself, only a word that came out his mouth sent his accusers into a great confusion, divided them into opposing camps and turned them against themselves. That night, Jesus appeared to him and congratulated him for bearing witness for Him in Jerusalem. He also urged him to do the same in Rome

Dear friends, the Holy Spirit, our defender is with us. Therefore, let us not be afraid of what the enemy will do to us when we bear witness to Jesus with our words or actions. If God wants to set us free from any case brought against us, He will do so because He has complete control over all situations.

May the Holy Spirt speak for you in all encounters and activities this Thursday. Amen

Fr Isaac Chima

 

Monday of 7^th Week of Easter: reflection

Theme: Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?

Reading: Acts 19:1-8

Dear friends in Christ, the question St Paul asked the disciples he found in Ephesus, as recorded in today's first reading, who had been converted and taught about Christ by Apollos, continues to beg for answers from Christians today. The question is simple, but its answer requires a thorough examination of one's life. He asked if they had received the Holy Spirit and, in all honesty, they said no.

In Gal 5:19-22, St Paul listed the fruits of the Holy Spirit as prudence, love, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, humility and self-control. Then, the fruits of a life devoid of the presence of the Holy Spirit were listed as immorality, indecent actions, idolatry, witchcraft, enmity, lies, jealousy, anger, ambitiousness, division, envy, drunkenness, and orgies.

When we compare the fruits of the Holy Spirit to the fruits that many Christians bear in our society, we can't help but wonder if we truly received the Holy Spirit the day our bishops laid hands on us, or if the Holy Spirit we received is still active in our lives.

Which fruits stand out in your life? Fruits of a life controlled by the Holy Spirit or those of a life devoid of the Holy Spirit? A closer look at how things are in our world will reveal that one of the reasons our world has become a theatre of evil is that people whose lives manifest the fruits of a life devoid of the presence of the Holy Spirit are greater in number, even in our Christian communities. Therefore, it makes sense to ask this important question again: have you received the Holy Spirit?

We are in the week of Novena to the Holy Spirit. Let us open ourselves through prayers and invite the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, so that His fire will burn away the evil fruits in us and, then, revive His own fruits that are lying dormant in our lives. When this happens, our world will be a beautiful home.

May the Holy Spirit guide and direct you as you embark on this Week’s activities. Amen.

Fr. Isaac C. Chima