Come, Holy Spirit

...fill the hearts of Your faithful, and enkindle within them the fire of Your Love.

Send forth Your Spirit, O Lord, and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

O God,

Who by the light of the Holy Spirit,

did instruct the hearts of Your faithful,

grant that by that same Holy Spirit,

we may be truly wise,

and ever rejoice in His consolation.

Through Christ our Lord. Amen.

I love the alabaster window above the Altar of the Chair at the back of St Peter's basilica in Rome. Sometimes, art gets it way off - but this one of the best examples of a genuine spiritual - Spiritual - work. Even today, after all these years, it still inspires the hearts of pilgrims to this Eternal City. Few moments have exceeded my expectations as much as when assisting Mass at the Altar of the Throne, hearing the preface sung with immaculate perfection in a floral interpretation of ecclesiastical Latin, while gazing up into the profundity of this little window. So clean are the lines and shapes, so perfect the design, that it appears as if the Holy Spirit is sweeping down to earth to catch you for God, reeling you in. Whenever I see this window, I always take the bait.

This is a very special and Spiritual time; it is perhaps fitting that this is my last comment here for about a month. I hope that we are all able to open our hearts and minds to His abundant gifts, receiving too the fruits of those gifts, in order that we are able to orientate our lives towards Him. Like the Apostles who gathered around Our Lady in prayer and consolation on that fiftieth day after Easter, we may be able to to do the same in our own lives this day and always. We have rejoiced in the Lord's resurrection, now we share our gifts with others. I hope and pray that the Holy Spirit will, in some way, touch your own life in a profound way, that He will indeed show His mercy and love, granting salvation. One of the most remarkable comments I have heard - for me anyway - was being told that the Holy Spirit, in advocating our cause, penetrates the very depths of the heart of God and sighs for us. I wish I could find words, but I don't think any of our concepts could do Him justice.

Pray also for me, lest I am unable to wait patiently for His love. It is a special day for me. The Vigil of Pentecost is the anniversary of my formal return to Holy Mother Church. I feel I have been the recipient of so many blessings - especially in preparation for this Pentecost, I have truly come to understand some of what God's consolation actually means - I pray I am constantly reminded of them, and I never forget God's love and the love of my friends, and vice-versa.

See you, God Willing, in a couple of weeks.