As we draw closer to the feast of Pentecost, we have another gospel to remind us that Jesus wanted the disciples to understand as best as they could that the will of the Father would always offer challenges to the thinking mind. Likewise Jesus, again as a true friend will not leave them or humanity without the means of knowing God's will. An advocate, a teacher, will be the Father's and his gift for all to know the Father's will for us.
We will celebrate the day of Jesus' Ascension on Sunday rather than tomorrow here in the Archdiocese of Washington (DC). We, all the Church, will arrive at the Pentecost celebration on the 19th of May.
We can use these days, regardless of when the feast of the Ascension is celebrated, to continue to reflect on the reality of our own faith challenges. As we know, since the Holy Spirit was given to all of us, our world continues to offer us challenges to the vast wisdom Jesus and our Church has given to us as the treasure house of our faith.
I invite you during these days to examine how you have used the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit into your faith life. Remember this when you make this examination: my faith is the relationship between me and my God. My religion is Roman Catholicism.
