Pentecost Sunday…..

Reflections by Dot Connealy, Associates of the Notre Dame Sisters

I hope you don't mind me doing something a bit different in this reflection....rather than write about the readings, I would like to tell you why Pentecost is my favorite church holiday.

When I heard that we received Pentecost Sunday as our reflection "duty" for this year, I was very excited. "I will write this one!" I told Dick with much happiness in my voice. There are SO many reasons why I like this church holiday. The symbolisms are so rich.
One is the strong wind, which gives me visions of one Pentecost Sunday when one of our mothers of young children in our parish took it upon herself to buy many red helium balloons. After Mass, these were given out to all the children and we went outside the church and sang one final guitar song and let the balloons go. I can still see those balloons floating off into the sky being carried by the "breath of God" to heaven!

Another Pentecost symbol is of fire. I carry another memory in my heart of the final day of my Cursillo weekend. I remember feeling the fire of God's love stronger on that Sunday evening than I had ever felt before. As I became a permanent "fixture" at my Ultreya meetings for the next 2 years, I struggled to understand what had been so special about that Sunday evening. I came to realize that is wasn't really so difficult to understand after all: my openness to the Spirit on that day had made me feel truly a part of God's family on earth. I had been blessed to receive the Gift of the Spirit. May the fire and passion of God's love fill our hearts today!

Finally, I have often heard Pentecost called the birthday of the Church. Now, anyone who knows me is aware of how special birthdays are to me. Anyone's birthday....not just mine! The list of people that I "gift" with cards is many. I look forward to saying "You are a special part of my life" to every person I know at least once a year and birthday celebrations seem the perfect time.

So, Happy Church Birthday to you! On Sunday, remember to raise your voice (Oh, yeah....that's the other thing I love about this holy day....the MUSIC!) in joyous praise of the Holy Day that says we are the People of God! What a glorious thing to be!!

SEVENTH SUNDAY after EASTER
By Sr. Marie Alice Ostry, ND

A recurring idea that presents itself to me since Easter is “Why didn’t the people who encountered Jesus after the Resurrection recognize him?” Mary and the women at the tomb, the Apostles several times, the disciples on the way to Emmaus all needed something special to “jog” their awareness of the Risen Christ.

There may be the beginning of an answer in today’s reading. The first reading says the Apostles and women came together to spend time in prayer and reflection. Perhaps right after the Resurrection Jesus’ followers thought that since Jesus died their life would be the way it had been before they met him and so they were saddened at his death and forgot his saying about life with God after this life -- “I am the Resurrection. He who believes in me will have life everlasting.” All that was/is too difficult to phantom.

For me, also, there are times I do not recognize Christ in my life. Oftentimes I go through life saying “Yes, I know you are with me.” Yet, I do not recognize Christ as he comes because I will say “Where are you?” or “How could you have let this happen?” When after a bit of time has passed and I have taken time to reflect on what really did come of those times I begin to see Christ’s presence in those events.

This week I offer the following questions as helps to become more aware of “seeing” Christ in our lives. How or when do you find that Christ has been part of your life? How does this affect the way you are present to your daily interactions? For me this emphasizes the practice of awareness of the present moment.

(If you have any comments or suggestions, I invite you to email me at sdrolf@juno.com )