St Margaret Roman Catholic Church

Saint Norbert, Bishop (Optional Memorial)

. . . that they may all be one. (John 17:21)

Have you ever participated in an event with people from all walks of life? Maybe it was something united around a common cause, like the March for Life, or a food drive, or a race to raise money for cancer research. While you were there, chances are no one asked you about your age, where you lived, your occupation, or even your religious affiliation. What brought you together was the cause.

This kind of unity of purpose can help us understand one facet of the unity that Jesus prayed for in today’s Gospel, but he wants us to know much more than unity of purpose. He wants us to know unity of love and unity of vision as well.

It’s no secret that the Church is fractured and that Jesus’ prayer remains unfulfilled. We know that Catholics, Protestants, and Orthodox are separated. There are countless different denominations, and the Catholic Church continues to suffer from internal divisions. Even on a smaller level, every parish seems to have its own difficulties.

And so Jesus continues to pray that his followers become one as they share in his Father’s perfect, selfless love. He wants more than cooperation and tolerance. He wants reconciliation and love. When our divisions no longer define our relationships, we’ll begin to see each other as brothers and sisters. We may not believe everything in exactly the same way, but we can rejoice that there is far more that unites us than divides us.

How can we promote Christian unity? By praying. We can bless our brothers and sisters from other traditions. We can ask the Holy Spirit to soften our hearts toward each other. We can echo Jesus’ prayer that all barriers of hostility would be broken down and that God’s children would be one.

Just think of what your prayer for unity can accomplish. Close your eyes and imagine the heavenly throne room. Picture the angels and saints there worshipping Jesus. Now picture everyone from all the churches in your neighborhood joining them. See them all gathered together singing hymns of glory to the Lord. Imagine the smiles on their faces as they greet each other—and as they greet you. Isn’t this a unity worth praying for?

“Come, Lord, and make us one!”

Acts 22:30; 23:6-11
Psalm 16:1-2, 5, 7-11

Saint Boniface, Bishop and Martyr (Memorial)

As you sent me into the world, so I sent them into the world. (John 17:18)

We all know what it’s like to let go of someone. Time marches on, situations change, and someone must move away—or is called home by the Lord. Transitions like these can be hard. They can upset the balance in our lives and introduce an element of uncertainty and apprehension.

Jesus knows what it’s like to let go. He knows how hard it can be. In today’s Gospel reading, for example, he is letting go of his disciples. He is letting them move into a new phase of life, a phase in which they must build on what he has taught them but without him standing right by their side. And because Jesus knows what it’s like, we can trust him to help us through our own transitions.

For example, dropping a child off for his first day at school might be fraught with anxiety. You might wonder if your child is ready to go out into the big world without you; you might treasure the preschool days and not want to see them end. But you can turn to Jesus and pray, Lord, you’ve helped me so far. I trust that you will help me adapt to this new situation. Help me let go of my child so that he can grow.

Retiring from a job can also be difficult. Maybe you’ve been working for so long that you’re reluctant to allow someone else to step into your role. But you can thank God for all you’ve accomplished and pray, Lord, help me to step aside. Help me to trust that you will work everything out for the good—for both my employer and me.

Watching a loved one decline in health is heart wrenching. Your lives have been intertwined for so long that it’s hard to accept that her time on earth is approaching its end. When letting go feels like it’s tearing you apart, pray, Lord, help me surrender my beloved into your arms. I believe that you love her more than I do, and you will not forsake us.

As you approach your own transitions, remember, Jesus knows what you’re going through. Ask him for the grace to let go so that you and your loved one can walk unencumbered into the new life that lies ahead.

“Jesus, increase my trust in you!”

Acts 20:28-38
Psalm 68:29-30, 33-36

Living life in the Spirit is a privilege we can experience righ

The thought of the Holy Spirit can seem very obscure to us as we face the many challenges of our lives. Is it possible to know the Spirit in a real and life-changing way? Can we really hope that the Spirit will be our “Comforter,” just as he was the first disciples’ Comforter (John 14:16-18)?

The answer, in short, is “Yes!” The Spirit can work in our lives on a down-to-earth, practical basis, transforming sinful thoughts and habits into a godly and holy life. The Spirit can bring alive your prayer so that you can touch the throne of God, and can enable you “to share in the inmost life of God” (St. John Paul II, Tertio Millennio Adveniente, 8). This Pentecost, may the Spirit of God move in your life, in your family, and in your parish.

According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, our highest goal in life—our highest calling—is to experience “Life in the Spirit” (CCC, 1699). As lofty as this may sound, life in the Spirit is possible for each one of us because through Christ we can “participate in the light and the power of the divine Spirit” (CCC, 1704). Jesus, who is the “image of the invisible God” (Colossians 1:15), always lived in the Spirit (Luke 4:18). Now, through his death and resurrection, he has given us his Holy Spirit so that we too can live as he lived (Romans 8:15-16). This is the wonder of the gospel: Through faith in Jesus Christ, we can enter into the life of God. We can live a new life!

What Is Life in the Spirit?

Life in the Spirit is the capacity— given to us by God—to follow Jesus’ example (CCC, 1709). What was Jesus’ example? Every day of his life, he sought the power of the Holy Spirit to do his Father’s will. Everything Jesus said and did came from his union with God, a union that only the Spirit could sustain.

As it was for Jesus, so can it be for us as we allow the Spirit to direct our thoughts and actions. We call this “living in the Spirit” because we cannot sustain such a life on our own. We are all sinners. We all need God desperately. The good news is that God invites all of us to experience life in the Spirit. All he asks is that we pray, follow his commands, and check our disposition during the day. In return, he promises to fill us with his Spirit every day.

The key ingredient in our attempts at life in the Spirit is the experiential knowledge that God loves us, that Jesus has saved us, and that the Holy Spirit lives in us. The Holy Spirit in us wants to move us to live each day under his influence, and the only way we will follow him is if we know the love of God that surpasses all fears and anxieties (Romans 8:37-39).

Welcoming the Spirit in Prayer

Prayer—conversation with God—is the first priority of living in the Spirit. We all know that it takes time and commitment to build true and lasting friendships. In the same way, we grow close to God as we spend time in prayer opening our hearts to him and listening to his voice. The more we are committed to prayer, the more we will know what it is like to live in the Father’s heart. Why? Because prayer makes us sensitive to the Holy Spirit.

Throughout his letters, St. Paul encouraged his readers to pray constantly (1 Thessalonians 5:17; see Colossians 3:16; Ephesians 5:18-20; Philippians 4:4-7). Constant prayer means not only praying every day, but also taking a few moments at different points in our day to turn our hearts to God. Through constant prayer, we give the Holy Spirit freedom to move in us. We come to know what he likes and what he dislikes. We learn how to discern his voice and how to please him.

Constant prayer also makes us sensitive to the word of God and to the Eucharist. Praying with the scriptures opens our minds to God and makes our hearts burn with love for him (Luke 24:32). We all have heard the saying, “You are what you eat.” Spiritually, the more we eat the bread of Christ with prayerful hearts, the more we will think and act like Jesus. Constant prayer—at home or at Mass, whether we are reading the scriptures or driving to work—is our secret to intimacy with God. Prayer, flowing from a pure heart, is the best way we can learn to be led by the Spirit.

The Spirit Softens Our Hearts

As we learn to pray constantly, we will begin to discover changes in our interior disposition. Perhaps we will become more patient. The Spirit may show us areas of sin and lead us to confess them to God and repent. Perhaps we will become less anxious or less prone to anger and resentment. All of this happens because the Holy Spirit is filling us with God’s grace and warming our hearts with his love. Such an infilling moves us to love God in return and to obey him. It gives us a greater confidence that we can share in his life.

Another essential part of living in the Spirit is allowing our thoughts, our decisions, and our emotions to flow from our experience of God. As St. Paul described life in the Spirit, he contrasted it with life “in the flesh”—a life driven by the sinful desires of our fallen nature (Romans 8:8). Paul wrote, “Those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (8:5). In another letter, Paul distinguished the fruit of the Spirit—love, joy, peace—from the work of the flesh—envy, rivalry, lust, and selfishness (Galatians 5:19-23). Paul called the life in the flesh hostility toward God, and life in the Spirit openness and obedience to the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:6-7).

St. Paul taught a simple lesson: Our outward behavior reveals our inner disposition. As we learn to listen to the Holy Spirit, we will find ourselves acting in accord with the Holy Spirit during the day. Some of this will occur naturally as our hearts are softened by the Spirit. However, much of this change occurs as we make decisions in the course of the day to obey God’s commands and to follow the promptings of his Spirit.

This is why it is important that we remain close to God and call on the Spirit often during our days. The more opportunities we give God to mold us and shape us in his image, the more we will reflect his love and his power to those around us.

Growing in Discernment

We all know that we are not perfect. We all sin. Perhaps the best way for us to learn whether we are acting in accord with the Spirit is by examining our hearts and our actions. In extreme circumstances, we can easily discern our state. We may be in a foul mood all day or find ourselves caught up in lust or envy. Perhaps we tear down a friend or our spouse through gossip. These are all sure signs that we are far from the Lord and need to turn back to him.

Likewise, there are times when we can easily tell that we are in the Spirit. Perhaps, after having received the Eucharist, we are full of love. We may feel an inner desire to serve God in some parish ministry. Maybe we feel a deep compassion for the poor or the sick, or we find it easier to forgive those who have hurt us.

However, we are also familiar with the countless thoughts, actions, and behavior patterns that fall somewhere in between these two extremes. In these cases, it can be quite difficult to determine whether they are of the Spirit or not. These “gray areas” require the gift of discernment—a gift of the Spirit to help us perceive more clearly what is motivating us. Discernment is a wonderful gift that we can grow in as we practice following the Spirit every day.

The Spirit Says, “Come!”

No matter who we are—rich or poor, intellectual or laborer—God invites you to live close to his heart. This is a privilege that comes as we yield our lives to the Spirit. Living in the Spirit requires that we allow our interior disposition to be formed by the Spirit so that we come to reflect the love and compassion of our heavenly Father.

Five Practical Ways to Look to the Spirit

1. Every morning, ask for a fresh “filling” of the Holy Spirit, and greater sensitivity to, and power from, the Holy Spirit.

2. Take some time to recall and write out those moments in your life when you experienced the Spirit consoling you or teaching you.

3. Share your faith with others. Ask the Spirit for wisdom, courage, and love.

4. “Blessed are you poor, for yours is the kingdom of God” (Luke 6:20). Let the Spirit – the Father of the Poor – give you a deep, generous love for those in need.

5. Pray for unity among believers, because the Spirit imparts gifts and charisms for the whole body of Christ.

7th Week of Easter

I pray for them. (John 17:9)

Seventy-nine years ago today, the “Miracle of Dunkirk”—the largest evacuation in military history—was completed. In the early months of World War II, a fierce onslaught from Hitler’s army pushed hundreds of thousands of Allied troops back to the beaches of Dunkirk, France. Seeing the danger, the British government declared a national day of prayer. Churches overflowed with people. Then came the miracle: perfect weather conditions allowed a massive civilian rescue effort to deliver the troops safely across the English Channel. Joy and hope were kindled as the day of prayer was followed by a national day of thanksgiving.

If the prayers of a nation could set such a miracle in motion, imagine how powerful the prayers of the Son of God can be!

In today’s Gospel, Jesus was praying for all the people God had given to him. You are one of these people. Think about that. What could be more encouraging than knowing that Jesus is always interceding for you?

Jesus prays that you will be protected and kept safe from the evil one. And his prayer is being answered. Because he has defeated Satan, the powers of darkness have lost their foothold in your life. Because of Jesus’ cross, the judgment of sin has been lifted from you. And because Jesus rose again, death has been defeated, and you can begin to experience eternal life here and now.

Does this mean that Christians never get sick or die or struggle in any way? No, it doesn’t. But it does mean that, ultimately, you are safe in God’s hands. Jesus is praying for you constantly, and his prayers are strong enough to carry you across this life into heaven.

Jesus’ prayer for protection is also about knowing God’s love today. It’s about being kept safe from anxiety and insecurity, for they can be fierce enemies as well. Jesus wants you to be able to rest secure in his Father’s love for you. He wants you to know that no sin is so big that it overpowers his mercy. There isn’t any distance too far for his outstretched arms to reach.

In light of all that God has done, how about declaring your own personal day of prayer and thanksgiving? Try to pause several times today to remember that Jesus is interceding for you.

“Jesus, thank you for praying for my protection!”

Acts 20:17-27
Psalm 68:10-11, 20-21