Pentecost Sunday (June 5, 2022)
Acts 2.1-11; 1 Cor 12.3b-7, 12-13; Jn 20.19-23
Today, we recall that the Holy Spirit came upon the early Church in the form of tongues of fire and as a strong wind, transforming this small group of frightened disciples into fervent and courageous missionaries.
One of the gifts of the Holy Spirit is courage. For those who are considering having an abortion, courage can help them overcome their fears in the face of a difficult future. For those who struggle with masturbation or pornography, courage can help them resist temptation and overcome all obstacles to chastity. For those considering assisted suicide, courage can help them overcome the fear of suffering and of being a burden to others. Courage, along with all the other gifts, enables us all to be better witnesses to the Gospel of Life.
By instituting the Sacrament of Penance, our Lord gave the power of forgiving and retaining sins to the Apostles and their lawful successors for reconciling the faithful who have fallen after Baptism. This transforming sacrament is the pro-life movement’s greatest weapon in building a civilization of love and a culture of life. Let us have frequent recourse to this sacrament of mercy.
Pro-Life Intercession
That the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, may renew the face of the earth and make it a place where the poor are fed, the strangers are welcomed, and the unborn are brought safely to birth, we pray to the Lord…