Pentecost Sunday

The French mystic Marthe Robin, who lived last century, said that there would soon be a new Pentecost of Love. Our previous Holy Father, John Paul II, also called many times for a ‘new Pentecost’ in the Church, praying for a time of renewal in our days.

Today we celebrate the time when the Holy Spirit came to the Disciples and Our Lady as they waited in prayer after the Ascension. Jesus was quite clear about the way all were to follow Him when he said “This is my commandment, love one another”. (Jn 15, 12) He also gave us many examples and teachings of what that kind of love would look like.

Just like the first believers we also need the Holy Spirit to follow the commandment of love. A significant help for Christians has always been the presence of Mary, always at the centre of God’s disciples, as Mother of the Church. In 1985, Mary reportedly appeared to a local man in Northern Italy as the Queen of Love. She was asking for a renewal of love in the world, she also gave a prayer to entrust our lives to her to be part of this ‘work of love’.

O Mary, Queen of the World
and Mother of Goodness,
trusting in your intercession
we commit our souls to you.
Accompany us each day
to the source of joy
and give us the Saviour
We consecrate ourselves to you
Queen of Love.

AmenLet us pray today that Mary will help us to be open to the Holy Spirit that God may bring a new Pentecost of love into our lives and into the world.