Pentecost Sunday - We will recognize you as Christians by what you do.
Msgr. Simas

Last Sunday, we celebrated the feast of the ascension of our lord into heaven. A fifth grader was asked what the feast of the ascension was. And he replied it is the day when Jesus started to work from home. And with today's feast of Pentecost, we celebrate the fruit of Jesus starting to work from home - Namely the sending of the Holy Spirit. It is because of this awesome gift of the Holy Spirit, that Saint Paul tells us that together we are Christ’s body, and individually parts of it. Thus did Jesus fulfill the promise that he had made to send the spirit among us.

Pentecost is often referred to as the birthday of the church. And someone rightly pointed out the original sin of the church is clericalism. And contrary to the belief of some clergy, the church is much more inclusive. I would like you to remember Saint Oscar Romero, the martyred archbishop of San Salvador in El Salvador. He was a strong voice for the poor, a voice some tried to silence. However the archbishop knew that his voice would continue to be heard among his people. Three months prior to his being assassinated as he stood at the altar presiding at mass, he said at a homily "God's best microphone is Christ, and Christ’s best microphone is the church", and then he went on to say, "And you, my dear people are the church". We are Christ’s body, are the church, and as such, we are to be the missionary presence of the risen Christ in our world of today. We are to be the advocates of God's plan of salvation. And it is the holy spirit who energizes us to fulfill our mission to serve one another, and our mission to be as Christ to each other. We will continue to do so as long as we remain faithful and responsive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us and gives us wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, and discernment. Gifts meant for the common good not for just any one of us but for all of us.

I would like to share with you the poignant words of Jamie l waters. Who is an associate professor of catholic studies at DePaul University in Chicago and also a contributor to America magazine. And she writes. Imagine if we face the challenges of today with wisdom, knowledge, and healing for the sake of the common good, how might we react to yet another tragic school shooting where 19 children and two teachers were murdered by assault rifles. Would we acknowledge that high-powered guns should be difficult if not impossible to acquire? Would we recognize that the Holy Spirit and anyone with sense would lead us to protect our collective right to live over our right to bear arms? But we recognize that in order to truly be pro-life. We must protect life at all stages from acts of violence.

On this Pentecost, when we commemorate the coming of the Holy Spirit, let us pray that we truly listen to the spirit. Living, working, and legislating for the common good. Recognizing the distress of his friends, Jesus promised that although he would physically leave the earth, the Holy Spirit whom he would send would sustain them. And I suggest that we take the Holy Spirit at it. Do we take our lord that has had his word? As the Holy Spirit sustained Jesus' friends, certainly will he sustain each one of us.

With today's feast of Pentecost, the Easter season comes to an end. However our mission to serve others to be as Christ to one another does not come to an end. It is ongoing all year round. And as we move forward, let us remember what it is that the Holy Spirit teaches. The spirit teaches us to see what the eyes of Jesus, the spirit teaches us to live as Jesus lived, And the spirit teaches us to understand life as Jesus understood it. Furthermore, the Holy Spirit who is the mutual love between God, the father and the son, reminds us that God loves us. The love we are to share with one another. And that by his grace, we can live as God's children, We can live as the body of Jesus Christ, that we truly are. Finally to you, neophytes and candidates, today is the last day you will be wearing your white robes. We will no longer recognize you as Christians by what you wear; we will recognize you as Christians by what you do. And again on behalf of our parish community, this faith community, I say to each one of you - welcome

因你的行為認出你是基督徒

上週日,我們慶祝耶穌升天。有人問一個五年級的學生說“耶穌升天是什麼意思?”。他回答”那是耶穌開始在父家上班的日子”。今天是五旬節,我們慶祝耶穌在父家上班所結的果實—祂派遣聖神到世間。藉由聖神這個令人敬畏的禮物,聖保祿宗徒告訴我們:“我們是基督的身體,各自都是祂的肢體”。就這樣,耶穌實現了將派聖神到我們中間的諾言。

五旬節是教會的生日。有些人説,教會的原罪是教權主義。但是與一些神職人員的認知相反的是,教會還是有很大的包容性。以聖奧斯卡·羅梅羅為例。他是薩爾瓦多聖薩爾瓦多的殉道大主教。他一生致力為窮人們發聲訴求。雖然有些人想要壓制他的聲音。然而,他的聲音持續地在人民中被傳頌。在他被暗殺的三個月前,他主持彌撒講道說:“基督是天主最好的麥克風,教會是基督最好的麥克風”,接著說:“至於親愛的你,就是教會”。我們是基督的身體,就是教會,我們要在當今世界傳揚復活的基督,要成為天主救恩計劃忠誠的擁護者。聖神激勵我們彼此服務,以成為彼此間的基督。只要我們持續響應住在我們心中的聖神、祂會賜予我們智慧、知識、信仰、醫治,和洞察的禮物。這些禮物不是為任何人,而是為所有人的利益。

我想與你分享 Jamie l waters 的心酸話語。她是芝加哥 DePaul 大學天主教研究副教授,也是美國雜誌的撰稿人。她寫到“讓我們想一想,如果我們以智慧、知識和治愈,並依共同利益來面對今天的挑戰,我們會如何面對再一次的學校槍擊悲劇。19 名兒童和兩名教師被突擊步槍殺害。我們是否會立法禁止擁有突擊步槍?至少使它非常難於取得。無論聖神或任何有理智的人都會保護我們集體生存的權利而不是保護攜帶武器的權利。我們意識到,要真正保護生命,就必須在所有的環節上,保護生命免於受到暴力的侵害“。

當我們在這個五旬節紀念聖神降臨,讓我們祈禱能真心聆聽聖神。為了所有人的共同利益來生活,工作,和立法。耶穌體會到他朋友的痛苦,承諾他們雖然他的肉身會離開,但他要差遣聖神來護佑他們。讓我們接受聖神。主信守了祂的諾言,護佑了祂的朋友,聖神也會護佑我們每一個人。

今天的彌撒意味著復活季節的結束。然而,我們為人服務來成為彼此間的耶穌的使命並沒有結束,它不斷的在進行。當我們向前進,讓我們牢記聖神的教導。聖神要我們用耶穌的眼睛來看世界,要學習耶穌的生活,以耶穌的想法來理解生命。聖神是聖父和聖子之間的愛,聖神提醒我們天主愛我們,要我們要彼此分享這個愛。靠著耶穌的恩寵,我們成為天主的孩子,成為耶穌的身體,這就是真實的我。各位候選人,今天是你們最後一次穿白袍參加彌撒。以後我們不再依你的白袍來認出你是基督徒;我們將因你的行為而認出你是基督徒。我代表教區和這個信仰團體對你們每一位說—歡迎你。