How Do you Know you have the Holy Spirit

Introduction

Introduction

Introduction

Today is the Solemnity of Pentecost, the celebration of God the Father, giving the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus Christ his Son in the Gospel. Pentecost occurs fifty days after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, today is the last day of Easter Season, we will light the Pascal Candle only on Baptism and Funerals, until next Easter Vigil. The Jewish people also have a Pentecost called “Shavuot” in Hebrew, which occurs 50 days after Passover, their liberation from slavery in Egypt, celebrating God coming down and giving them the Torah, by Moses, on mount Sinai trembling violently and on fire. Every year Jewish men from every foreign land in their world were required to come to the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost.

Today is the Feast of Pentecost, the celebration of God the Father, giving the Holy Spirit as promised by Jesus Christ his Son in the Gospel. Pentecost occurs fifty days after the resurrection and ascension of the Lord Jesus Christ, today is the last day of Easter Season, we will light the Pascal Candle only on Baptism and Funerals, until next Easter Vigil. The Jewish people also have a Feast of Pentecost called “Shavuot” in Hebrew, which occurs 50 days after their feast of Passover, liberation from slavery in Egypt, celebrating God coming down and giving them the Torah, by Moses, on mount Siniai trembling violently and on fire. Every year Jewish men from every foreign land in their world were required to come to the temple in Jerusalem to celebrate Pentecost.

Body

Body

So now, there is a large crowd gathered outside that morning for Pentecost in our 1st reading in Acts when God the Father gives the Holy Spirit with a Strong Driving Wind like Noise that comes from the Sky and everyone including the crowed hears. The disciples filled with the Holy Spirit start speaking of the mighty acts of God, most likely proclaiming with Galilean Aramaic accent, the simple message of the Gospel, that the promised Messiah has come, died for their sins and has risen from the dead. Jesus Christ is Lord. The Holy Spirit had also fallen on the crowed opening their ears hear of the mighty acts of God in the foreign languages of the lands they had come from, they were astounded and amazed! They had come to celebrate God giving of the Law of Moses, but that day around 3 thousand became believers in Jesus Christ their promised Messiah and were baptized.

So now, there is a large crowd gathered outside that morning for Pentecost in our 1st reading in Acts when God the Father gives the Holy Spirit with a Strong Driving Wind like Noise (fighter jets taking off with afterburners, Heavy helicopters flying low shaking up my house) comes from the Sky and everyone including the crowed hears. The disciples Filled with the Holy Spirit start speaking of the mighty acts of God, either with their Galilean accent Aramaic, or in foreign languages, not sure, the simple message of the Gospel, that the promised Messiah has come, died for their sins and has risen from the dead. That Jesus Christ is Lord. The Holy Spirit had also fallen on the crowed opening their ears hear of the mighty acts of God in their own languages of the lands they had come from, they were astounded and amazed! God had removed the language barrier of Babylon. They had come to celebrate God giving of the Law of Moses, but that day around 3 thousand became believers in Jesus Christ their promised Messiah and were baptized.

Conclusion.

Conclusion.

Brothers and Sister, friends, how do we know if this dynamic Holy Spirit given us at our baptism and confirmation is still actively working in us.? The Apostle Paul in our second reading says, “No one can say Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit and To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit”. If we, you and I, believe in our hearts and are not ashamed or afraid to profess with or mouths publicly that Jesus died for my sins and rose from the dead, that Jesus is the Lord of my life, it is by the Holy Spirit in us you or I can say it. And when you and I do something good for the benefit of someone else, and keep doing it without expecting anything in return, that is the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit working in us.

Brothers and Sister, friends, how do we know if this dynamic Holy Spirit given us at our baptism and confirmation is still working in us.? The Apostle Paul in our second reading says, “No one can say Jesus is Lord except through the Holy Spirit and To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit”. If we, you and I, believe in our hearts and can profess say with or mouths publicly that Jesus died for my sins and rose from the dead, that Jesus is the Lord of my life, it is by the Holy Spirit in us you or I can say it. And when you and I do something good for the benefit someone else, and keep doing it without expecting anything in return, that is the manifestation of the gifts of the Spirit working in us.

In our Gospel today Jesus, says, “if you love me you will keep my commandments, and I will ask the father and he will give you another advocated the Holy Spirit to be with you always, he will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you. Then let us pray the advocate the Holy Spirit to come upon us to fill us to open our mouths to speak of the mighty acts of God in our lives, with our own tongues and words and giving our witness, that Jesus is Lord, to remember to love one another and do good. So the hearts of those around us whom the Holy Spirit has prepared and ears opened, will hear, believe and be baptized, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN

In our Gospel today Jesus, says, “if you love me you will keep my commandments, and I will ask the father and he will give you another advocated to be with you always, he will teach you everything and remind you of all I told you. Then let us pray the advocate the Holy Spirit to come upon us to fill us to open our mouths to speak of the mighty acts of God in our lives, with our own tongues and words and giving our witness, that Jesus is Lord, to love one another and do good. So the hearts of those around us whom the Holy Spirit has prepared and ears opened, will hear, believe and be baptized, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. AMEN