Pastor’s Corner

Dear Sacred Heart Family,

God wants to make a deal! In a sense, the purpose of God’s dwellig among us (the Incarnation), which led to the Ascension which we celebrated last week, is to do a trade. God wants us to give Him all our weakness, sins, misery, pain and suffering. In exchange, He wishes to make us Divine: Daughters and Sons of God, heirs to heavenly royalty as members of the Kingdom of God on earth and in Heaven. This all began at our own baptisms.  This weekend shows us the way.

Pentecost is the celebration of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the Church, nine days after the Lord Jesus Ascended into Heaven to take His seat at the right hand of the Father. Yet how does this become “real” in our lives? Though the power of the Holy Spirit. When a mother and father love each other, their love is so strong that it generates a new person. In a comparative way, the love between the Father and the Son—though not romantic—is so powerful that it generates a Third Person, Who is the Love between them. That person is our best companion, because the Holy Spirit is the change agent.

The Love of God was poured deep into our souls at our baptism. This Love is always there and active, even when we are not aware. He gently, tenderly and graciously works to bring the dream of God our Father into reality as we cooperate with grace. Our Lady helps this process, as she is a “magnet” for the Holy Spirit. A telephone commercial used to advertise with a phrase, “Can you hear me now?” This meant that the signal was strong on their network and when you are close to their towers, you are well covered. Our Lady is a tower of the Holy Spirit.  Let us ask her to help us be open to the tender mercy of the Holy Spirit. “Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and enkindle in us, the fire of Your Love!” Another prayer is “Come Holy Spirit, Come with Mary’s help! — Veni Sancti Spiritus, veni per Mariam!”

In Our Lady’s Immaculate Heart,

Fr. Bjorn Lundberg