Dear Parishioner,
This Sunday’s readings bring us to the threshold of Pentecost. Jesus is praying—praying for His disciples and for us—while Stephen, the first Christian martyr, is being stoned for his bold witness. At the same time, the Book of Revelation gives us one of the final invitations in Scripture: “Come!” It’s an urgent call to remain faithful and to long for Christ’s return.
Today, in our parish, we also witness something deeply encouraging: a group of our young people are receiving the Sacrament of Confirmation. Their “yes” to the gifts of the Holy Spirit echoes the same courage and trust we see in the early Church and in Jesus’ own prayer for us in the Gospel of John.
What unites these readings and today’s Confirmation is a call to stand firm in faith, rooted in love and strengthened by the Holy Spirit.
In the Acts of the Apostles, we hear about Stephen, who, “full of the Holy Spirit,” speaks the truth even in the face of violence. It’s a difficult scene—one of pain, but also one of great clarity. Stephen sees the heavens opened, and he forgives those who are killing him. That’s not human strength; that’s the Spirit at work.
In the Gospel Jesus is about to be arrested, but what is He doing? He’s praying for unity, for protection, for love. He prays “that they may all be one,” and that “the love with which you have loved me may be in them” and that includes each of us.
What’s remarkable is how both Stephen and Jesus show a kind of spiritual calm, a deeper peace. That’s the fruit of faith, and the gift of the Spirit. And it’s what we want for our young people being Confirmed today.
And the reading from Revelation gives the final, hopeful word. It is Christ’s own voice saying: “I am coming soon… Let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price.”
This is a personal invitation to each of us. Are we thirsty? Are we seeking the deeper meaning of life? Then come – come to the Lord. Come to the Sacraments. Come to the community of the Church. Come to the Spirit.
Let’s prepare our hearts for Pentecost, trusting that the Spirit who came at the beginning is still with us, still guiding, still strengthening.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love!
Yours in Christ,
Deacon Ian
