Pilgrimage to Pentecost
and Continuing Adventure
Our Adventures in Grace pilgrimage is headed toward Pentecost on June 5. Notice that I say that it is not ending on that day. Pentecost is the perfect feast day to mark a very important moment in the church and in our church here at Holy Family. Pentecost is more of a beginning than a conclusion. It is more about looking ahead than looking back. It is universally referred to as the birthday or the start of the church.
The Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles enabling them to carry out the great commission that Jesus had given them ten days earlier. We hear his words and his sending of the Apostles from the Gospel of Matthew.
“Go therefore and make disciples of all
nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have
commanded you and behold, I will be with you until the end of time.” Mathew 28:16-20
I believe that our Adventures in Grace has inspired and commissioned us in much the same way by the same Holy Spirit. Let us continue to use the language of the pilgrimage to go forward making disciples, drenching, teaching and knowing as we say:
I experienced the sacrament of____________________________
mediated by__________________ .
Bless us, O Lord, and these thy gifts
which we are CURRENTLY receiving
from your bounty, through Christ our Lord.
Hail __________________________________, full of Grace!
The great commission of Jesus ten days before Pentecost was accentuated by his Ascension into heaven. He left them bodily, but continued to be with them through the Holy Spirit as they carried out the work of making disciples, baptizing in his name and teaching his commandments, and knowing of his eternal presence.
I am urging all of you to engage your heart and soul into the adventure of spiritual renewal that will continue as Pentecost marks as much a beginning of a continued adventure as an end to the specifics of our pilgrimage. The pilgrimage is taking us to Pentecost, but the adventure of grace will continue.
You will be hearing more specifics in the coming weeks regarding the structure of the adventure that follows. We have learned a lot and received feedback on what has been effective during the pilgrimage and what can be done to continue. We have been working very hard to structure the next phase of our adventure, but we are confident that many of the elements that comprised the pilgrimage of the past nine months will continue.
Pentecost will bring us a special celebration so we are slightly altering our Mass schedule that weekend. It will be as follows:
Saturday, June 4, 5:00pm Mass
Sunday, June 5, 7:30 &10:00am Mass
(with a celebration following the 10am Mass in the courtyard with food and entertainment)
May Crowning
We are hosting a May Crowning during Mass this Saturday with a Pot Luck Dinner and presentation entitled The Scripture Story of Mary. We will also have May Crowning during the Academy Mass on Tuesday, May 17. Please note that since the lifting of almost all Covid protocols, the Tuesday morning Mass each week is a parish Mass, hosted by the Academy. All are welcome.
Graduation
Our Holy Family Academy Eighth Graders will be graduating on Friday, May 27. Please join me in congratulating them as they move on to high school.