Readings: Acts 2:1-11; Psalm 104; Romans 8:8-17; John 14:15-16, 23-26.
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
Today is the day we have been preparing for through a series of prayers, novena and programs – it is the feast of Pentecost.
Today, we recall the day that the early disciples and followers of the Lord received in a significant, powerful and decisive way, the Holy Spirit which Jesus promised them.
This year, I am sorry, I chose not to go into the history of the feast of Pentecost – we can always read about that. I just want to cut to the chase.
Every year when we celebrate Pentecost, we are not just celebrating an event that happened and was perfected in the past. Rather, we open ourselves in faith to a new experience of the Holy Spirit, a refilling and a renewed encounter.
In the past, I have preached on different themes. I have preached on who is the Holy Spirit? Why do we need the Holy Spirit? What the Holy Spirit does in our lives (2020), and last year I preached on the Holy Spirit as a life repairer. This year, I want to preach on making the Holy Spirit more active in our lives.
The Holy Spirit is Jesus’ gift to all of us to guide, teach, convict, renew, enlighten, pray in and for us, to illumine, comfort, strengthen and speak for us.
Every one of us who is baptised and confirmed has received the Holy Spirit.
Let me begin by encouraging those who have not yet been confirmed to discuss with the parish how they can have this done as soon as possible. The laying on of hands by the Bishop or a designated priest during Confirmation is the ordinary means by which we receive the Holy Spirit to perfect our baptismal graces, to make us strong Christians and soldiers of Jesus.
For those of us who have been confirmed, how active is the Holy Spirit in our lives? How involved is He in our daily affairs? How much do we consult Him and seek His help?
Today, we are challenged to make the Holy Spirit that we have received active, to get Him involved in our daily lives, and to have an active relationship with Him.
How? I will preach on three ways.
A. Know more about the Holy Spirit:
The first step is knowing more about who the Holy Spirit is and what He does. Knowledge fosters relationships. How much do we know about the Holy Spirit? From today, let us seek to know more about Him through studying the Bible, listening to good/recommended talks and reading recommended books on the Holy Spirit. Very importantly, we may know Him more by praying and asking the Holy Spirit to reveal more of Himself to us.
B. By engaging Him and inviting Him to be part of our everyday affairs.
Characteristically, the Holy Spirit won’t invade our affairs if He is not invited. Let us remember from today that the Holy Spirit is our friend and He wants to help us and get involved in our lives. Hence, we must learn to talk to Him, seek His help, call on Him, surrender to Him and acknowledge His presence and power. Let us allow Him to hold us, inspire us, teach us and direct us. The more we involve Him, the more active He becomes. The more active He becomes, then the more meaningful, fruitful and full our lives become.
C. Obey Him
The Holy Spirit doesn’t bypass our will; we still need to be willing to obey Him and heed His message. When we keep suppressing Him, denying, objecting and disobeying what He tells us, then we are saying we do not need Him, thereby rejecting Him. He is not active where He is willfully rejected, incessantly disobeyed and unheeded.
Conclusion
Let us ask the Lord to empty us of ourselves and fill us with His Spirit. Let us pray that we may begin to develop an active, lively, intimate relationship with the Holy Spirit, that we may enter into a joyful partnership and a deeper communion with Him, a communion that will change the face, flavour and texture of our spiritual lives and help us to live our best and fullest life.
(Let us now pray in silence)
Sermon preached by Rev. Fr. Emmanuel Baraka-Gukena Okami on June 5, 2022.