by Rev. Edward Correia

On the first Pentecost, there was a gentle breeze blowing in the room where the Apostles and Mary were gathered. Then tongues of fire rested on each person’s head. The Holy Spirit, the third person of the Blessed Trinity, came into each of them. Marvelous events began to happen. The Apostles were no longer afraid. They went out into the square in the middle of the day and began to speak about the Risen Lord, Jesus Christ. They were so excited that some people thought that they were drunk. People from so many different countries understood what the Apostles were saying in their own language. Hundreds of people converted.

Did any of you watch Representative Joe Moakley’s Funeral on TV? I saw it as a Pentecost event.

At the funeral marvelous events were happening. Seven hundred people came to the church: President Bush, former President Clinton, former Vice President Gore, and people of every color, political party and category. All gathered together and put aside their differences to listen and participate.

They listened to twenty children from St. Bridget’s school sing about hope and joy in God’s life. They listened to a black woman sing "Taste and see the goodness of the Lord".

They laughed. They cried. They prayed together. For those very brief two hours they were one.

For fifty days we have been celebrating the Risen Lord in our lives. Six young people received the sacrament of Baptism at the Easter Vigil. Children received their first Holy Communion. Young people received the Sacrament of Confirmation. We celebrated having received these sacraments.

It was through these sacraments that we have the Holy Spirit living within us now. May we say we all our being: Come, Holy Spirit. May we allow the Holy Spirit to work wonders in our lives and through our lives.