Before I make any remarks on the great Solemnity of Pentecost, I would first like to
remind everyone to pray for Fr. Lambert and Deacon Dominic on their journey
in Rwanda. This is the first time since he left that Fr. Lambert has been able to go home and visit his family, friends, and the places that spiritually nourished him on his road to the priesthood. We pray that the pilgrimage is refreshing, but most importantly that the two of them return home safely.

In these first few months as pastor, I have been learning some things about my tendencies and what my natural style is as a leader. One of the fascinating things is that my two strongest inclinations seem to be directly opposed to one another. When faced with a decision, I either shoot first and ask questions later, or sit on a problem for a long time and break it down until I feel comfortable with a possible solution. With the continued assistance of the great staff here, most things work out for the best, but I am still looking for the best way to react to a pastoral need or a question of best practices.

In Pope Benedict’s first Pentecost address as the Holy Father, he spoke of the importance of more than careful planning or instinctive reaction when we see a need, but rather the necessity of prayer before we make important decisions.

“The Lord certainly does ask for our collaboration, but before any other response his initiative is necessary: his Spirit is the true protagonist of the Church. The roots of our being and of our action are in the wise and provident silence of God.” The lesson of Pentecost is that God doesn’t want our hard work and our mer-its, but rather he wants us to cooperate with the gift of the Holy Spirit that he sends down upon each of us. We will accomplish more working with God than we ever could on our own, and in this way we are called to bear fruit that will last.

As we come the end of the Easter Season and prepare to return to Ordinary time, this is a great opportunity for us to examine the role of the Spirit in our lives. Wherever we are in our relationship with the Holy Spirit, there are always opportunities to grow closer, so that we can hear his gentle call in our lives, and then work with the Gifts of the Spirit in cooperating with God and bearing fruit, fruit that will last.

Prayers Always,
Fr. McCullough