April 28, 2021

By Father William Muench
NCC columnist

The celebration of the joy of the Easter Season leads us to hope for the future. As we remember and celebrate the Resurrection of Jesus, we should be filled with the confidence to bring God’s love to others. Then we are given the hope to join in the celebration of Pentecost, the descent of the Holy Spirit on the apostles of the Lord of all times with power and wisdom and bringing hope that our future will be alive in the Lord.

The Gospels describe to us how those original apostles recovered their faith and hope in the Lord. It seems that they had lost all hope with the crucifixion of Jesus. Can you imagine how those apostles felt with the arrest of Jesus and his crucifixion? I often wonder where they were. I wonder why none of the apostles showed up as Jesus carried the cross to Calvary. None of them were there to help the suffering Jesus. However, I must admit that I don’t think I would have been bold enough to walk with Jesus or try to help him.

Everything changed for them with the Lord’s Resurrection. Their faith came alive. They discovered a new hope for the future. They suddenly discovered an enthusiasm in the Holy Spirit. They became witnesses for the apostles of all time. They demonstrated a readiness to carry the message of Jesus to others – the message of God’s great love for them.

This Easter season continues to bring a powerful message to every Christian, a message for you and me. As we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord in these weeks after Easter, we will be renewed with a dedication to the following of the Lord. Jesus will touch our lives and help us to remember our baptism and discover hope for our future.

As we celebrate this Easter season, we prepare ourselves for the coming of the Holy Spirit in Pentecost, our Pentecost. You know the story of the first Pentecost. The apostles were gathered in the upper room. They were afraid and lacking all confidence. Then when the Holy Spirit touched their lives, they were transformed with new power and hope. They were no longer afraid to speak out the message of Jesus.

You and I must be ready again to allow the Holy Spirit to put new life into our hearts. Each and every day should be a Pentecost. Our prayer is that the Holy Spirit will bring the same enthusiasm to us as was given to those original apostles.

Today I want to encourage you to celebrate the joy of the resurrection of the Lord each day of this Easter season, and I encourage you tobe ready and prepared with an open, loving heart for the coming of the Holy Spirit in your Pentecost. This will give you hope and confidence now in the midst of this curious time of Pandemic. Pentecost will ready you to bring the Lord’s spirit of love and peace and nonviolence to the world.

Our Church is coming to a time of real transition. I wonder, as you may also wonder, what the future of life as a Catholic will be. Our joyful celebration of the resurrection of Jesus and the powerful coming of the Holy Spirit will bring us the hope that all will be a time of happiness and love in the Lord. Our hope in the Lord must mean that we do not have to be afraid. Please join me as we pray together that we will all be united in the possibilities of a Church alive in the love of the Lord – working to bring a strong faith in God and hope in the following of our Savior.