Pentecost!

Pax Christi vobiscum! Come Holy Spirit (especially today)!

(Sound of pitchpipe hitting middle C)
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday to you,
Happy Birthday dear Holy Mother Church,
Happy Birthday to you.

Today is Pentecost! That is, today is the day that the Holy Spirit descended on the Apostles and Mary in the upper room in tongues of flame. And as they spoke people from many different countries heard the words that they were saying in his or her own native tongue (see Acts 2). Because the disciples then went out to evangelize the world, bringing the Good News to everyone, this day is held to be the birthday of Holy Mother Church...which is why it's also incredible that today happens to be Mother's Day. What a coinkidink (if you know a better way to spell that let me know...I spent 5 minutes trying to put that phrase to paper...err, computer screen).

So in honor of this incredible feast, a group of us ventured down to the Piazza di San Pietro. There we listened to the Holy Father, Papa Benedetto, deliver one of his Regina Caeli (Ray-gee-na Chay-lee) addresses...good as usual.

Then two of us, including me, slung our guitar straps over our shoulders (guitars included) and we started singing some praise and worship songs (Kumbaya ain't got nothin'!). I blinked and there were more than 40 people gathered around, either joining in or just absorbing the scene. And they all stayed there for almost the entire thing. We had our very own little Pentecost, right there in front of St. Peter's. What a blessing!

As the two of us (Keith and I) played the songs, a couple of other men in clerics walked around and talked with the pilgrims that were gathered there. A couple of people started to cry, only one of whom I had hit with my guitar. Seriously, it was a sight to behold. I think people are just aching for a chance to rejoice, to be free in praise of our God. That's what it is: there is true freedom when we realize it's not about us, that our worries don't amount to a hill of beans half the time, and if they do, God's got it under control anyways (we also need to let Him take control though, a.k.a. surrender).

So thank God for all that you have, place your trust in Him, and pray that we seminarians can do the same. I hope you have a wonderful Pentecost, and again, those other stories are forthcoming. God bless!

P.S. - I'll see if I can find some pictures from the event. I saw a ton of cameras, so there have to be some pics. Ciao for niao!