Stories of Promises Fulfilled

Week of May 1, 2016

Jesus in the Gospel of today promises the Holy Spirit.  He tells His disciples and us that we can rely on the Holy Spirit.  He says to them and to us, the Holy Spirit will teach us and remind us.  What a great promise.  This promise is fulfilled in our gathering.  This promise finds meaning in our lives.  As Confirmed Catholics, we are invited to dwell in the presence of the Holy Spirit.  We are invited into the experience of allowing the Holy Spirit to enlighten us.  One of the great ways to do this is through remembering and doing what the RCIA program calls “Mystagogia”— breaking open the mystery.

At birthday parties we remember our past, at anniversaries we recall the love that has been consistent even through the rough times.  At reunions we remember how much we have changed for the good.  Spiritually we are called to do the same.  In the process of mystagogia, we break open the mystery.  We recall and remember how God has fulfilled His promises to us.  We allow the Holy Spirit to teach us about God the Father’s love.  We allow the Holy Spirit to teach of the sacrifice of the only begotten Son of God.  By telling the story we verify the promise of Jesus is fulfilled.

In my first year at St. Anne we announced a Year of Thanksgiving.  It was a great year of announcing the blessing of God in the ministries at work. Listening to what our youth had done, how Hesed house had transformed lives, how those in the Bereavement Committee held those who had lost loved ones and how SPICE welcomes our children with special needs to be a part of Religious Education was magnificent.  We all learned about the presence of God.  We all heard our fellow parish members witness to how they fulfill the call of Jesus.  Those weekends lifted up my soul.  Those weekends reminded us that Jesus fulfills His promises.  It is the Holy Spirit that teaches and reminds.

In this week may we remember the goodness of God and allow ourselves to be led to where the Holy Spirit longs to break open the mystery.

Rev. John J. Ouper