Michael Maher S.J.May 18, 2013 12:00:00 AM1 min read

18 May 2013

Saturday of the Seventh Week of Easter

Pentecost eve marks that time when the apostles believed that the Lord had risen but still lacked that certain push to get them out from behind the locked doors and to talk about it. Of course you can’t blame them, a lot had happen since the women had reported the empty tomb, then the subsequent appearances of the risen Lord followed by the understanding of the Lord’s Ascension. College students would refer to that as an overload.

Perhaps Mary’s presence at the descent of the Holy Spirit helped the disciples sort a few things out. Her unerring movement towards God’s will combined with the gifts of the Spirit may have given the apostles the nudge they needed to get out and proclaim the message which Jesus had called them to proclaim.

The special prayer that will be read before the Gospel has the following verse:

Bend the stubborn heart and will;
Melt the frozen, warm the chill;
Guide the steps that go astray.

The image of melting winter’s chill encourages me to think of growth and to reject the frozen stillness of inaction. The majestic strides told in the Pentecost story may tempt us to unattainable greatness and neglect the possibility that progress in evangelization is imagined in the gospels as small seeds, a bit of yeast, or small lamp.

By Michael Maher, S.J.

May 18th, 2013

18 May 2013

18 May 2013

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