Dear Friends,
Throughout the Easter Season, the Liturgy offers us readings from the Acts of the Apostles. Hearing these I marvel ever anew about how these apostles, without much education and not trained in public speaking, gave their witness to Christ who had suffered the terrible death on the cross but who lives and who is for us the "leader to life" (Act 3:15). That's perhaps the best translation of the Greek archegon tes zoes in the speech that Peter gave in the temple after he had healed the blind beggar in Jesus' name. Dangers and persecution cannot stop the apostles! Their own personal prayer supports them, as well as the prayer of the Christian community.
The starting point of this amazing and wonderful dynamism was the experience of Pentecost when the live-giving force of the Holy Spirit had transformed their hearts. We, too, need the gift of the Holy Spirit. It is not sufficient to pray for it once a year only. We need it daily in order for us to learn how to love as Jesus loved and to keep his commandments and his word as he desires.
Pope Paul VI once asked the question: "What is the greatest need of the Church?" He answered: "The Church's first and greatest need is to live Pentecost. The Spirit is the Church's mystery and life. It is he who animates and sanctifies the Church. The Spirit is her divine breath, the wind in her sails, the inner font of her light and strength. The Holy Spirit is her source of charism and song, her peace and joy. The Church needs her perennial Pentecost. She needs fire in her heart, words on her lips, and prophecy in her outlook. If we really love the Church the main thing we must do is to foster in her a new outpouring of the Divine Spirit."
Our greatest need as a Christian people, especially at this challenging time for our Church, is a continual Pentecost, an interior Pentecost. We need to live Pentecost. The Fire still falls. The Breath of God is still given. The Living Water is still poured out. Come, Spirit of God!
Throughout the year, St. Benedict Center is a good place where we can pray in this sense, like Mary and the disciples in the upper room, for the promised and always surprising gift of the Holy Spirit. Often people tell me that they experienced the presence and the working of the Holy Spirit in one of the many retreats that take place at St. Benedict Center. - I wish you blessed summer months and am looking forward to seeing you again soon!
Fr. Thomas Leitner, OSB, Administrator