Last weekend I preached two homilies (not at the same Mass).  The Saturday night homily was on developing the gift of Understanding as given to us by the Holy Spirit.  The Sunday homily was on keeping the "Fire" of the Holy Spirit going and growing in us.

In the Saturday homily, I defined Understanding as noticing what another person means, recognizing why a person acts as he or she does, and why a person lives as he or she lives.  In a nutshell, it involves trying to put ourselves in another's shoes and appreciating where another is coming from.  To grow in understanding, we must cultivate an eye for the uniqueness of every person and avoid labeling a person or groups of people.  I ended my homily with a "Prayer for Understanding" which I would like to share for your benefit and use.

Lord Jesus Christ, grant me the gift of Understanding.  Help me to understand the feelings of others, the desires of others, the goal of others.  At the same time, help me to understand myself in my actions and reactions.  Widen my vision beyond my small world, to embrace with knowledge and love the world of others.  Bless me with insight, acceptance and love that is tempered by You.  You are all things to all people.  Help me to understand Lord.

I finished the last Mass this past Sunday and remembered that I had forgotten to encourage everyone to wear red when they came to church this weekend for Pentecost.  No doubt, some of you remembered to wear red anyway.  That color is worn by the priest and deacon at Mass to symbolize the "fire" of the Holy Spirit that came upon the apostles that first Pentecost.  Of course, regardless of what color we wear on Pentecost or any other time, it is important that all of us who have received the Holy Spirit, beginning with the sacrament of Baptism, realize how blessed we are to have the Spirit within us always.  Unfortunately, some of us need to take the time to give thanks for this great gift and pray that He will daily "kindle in us the fire of God's love".  This can, and will, lead us to approach others as Christ did with kindness, hospitality, and a willingness to serve them with Christ-like care.

Besides giving us the greatest of gifts, the hope and promise of eternal life through His life, death, resurrection and ascension, Christ gave and gives the power and presence of the Holy Spirit to guide us and strengthen us in our pilgrim journey to the fullness of life in heaven.  May we NEVER take this for granted, but share with joy this good news with others.

A Blessed Pentecost to all of you!

With the death of Father Linus Ukomado, a missionary priest from Nigeria, I can't help but reflect on the reality of a shortened ministry of priesthood since Father Linus was only 55 years old at the time of his death.  My thoughts, however, turn quickly to thanksgiving for the 24 years God gave him as a priest to minister to people in Nigeria and for the last 15 years in Arkansas.  I can't appreciate how challenging it must have been for him (and all foreign-born priests) to come to our country and our state and try to adapt to our culture while being true to the universal Church for which he was ordained to serve.  I also thank God for the many Catholics who welcome our missionary priests and are patient and understanding of the challenges these priest face as they come here to serve out of the need we have to supply priest for parishes that we have in Arkansas.  I will be seeing most of our missionary priests at retreat this week in Subiaco for our annual priest retreat and will hopefully take time to thank them for their ministry here.  As I see more and more younger priests from our diocese at retreat, I will thank God that they have answered the call to serve in this diocese.  As I leave for retreat having just celebrated my 28th anniversary of prieshood (May 31), I will not look too far ahead with expectation of a ministry of 30, 40 or 50 years, but will take it one day, one month, one year at a time, appreciating (even more so after Father Linus's sudden death) that none of us know the day or the hour that God has chosen for us to go to our true and eternal home.  I will be praying for you on retreat and ask for your prayers for me and all the priests who will be there.  I hope to see some of you at Mass this Friday at a special time, 4:00 p.m., followed by our First Friday devotions and First Saturday Mass at 9:00 a.m., followed by devotional prayers and the rosary.