Sheltered No More: Weekly Message for 06-02-2020

Dear Friends in Christ,

They had sheltered in place, fearful for their well-being if they ventured out into public. 

The upper room seemed a place of refuge after the unexpected death of a loved one. Who knew if the same fate awaited the rest of them?

Yet, this self-imposed social distancing wouldn’t last. It was time to go out and confront the world – and to share some of the greatest news of all time.

Such was the dynamic of Pentecost morning. 

The apostles, so shaken by the trauma of Good Friday, went on to encounter the risen Jesus, see his wounds, and be assured of the coming of the Holy Spirit.

The Spirit helped to set the world on a different path at the first Pentecost, by turning a once faint-hearted band of brothers into a powerhouse of evangelization, beginning with Peter.

The Spirit is ready to do that again if we let him. For Christ didn’t give up his life for the Church only to see it wither away. He intended for it to be leaven in the world till the end of time.

So this is the moment to expect the unexpected, to await a new Pentecost as the world emerges from lockdowns. 

Whether our upper room these past months has been a studio apartment in Manhattan or a split level suburban ranch house, the Spirit is beckoning all of us to get out there and share the Gospel.

Sharing the Gospel draws us to a new center of gravity. Its message of hope and love shapes our outlook in a way that far transcends the material world. 

It’s not too late to join the mission of Unleashing the Power of Pentecost. 

Think of it as a way to help the world move beyond social distancing and draw closer to Our Lord.

In Christ,

Father Edward McIlmail, LC
Ask a Priest contributor