Sunday, May 24, 2026

Dear brothers and sisters

After celebrating the Solemnity of the Ascension of the Lord, the Church turns to Pentecost, the moment when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles, fifty days after Easter. This event marks the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise and the birth of the Church’s mission in the world. There are several essential truths we must understand about the Holy Spirit and His gifts. First, before returning to the Father, Jesus promised to send the Advocate, the Spirit of truth, to guide His Church and empower His people to carry on His mission. The Holy Spirit does not come to replace Christ or alter His teachings. Rather, He makes the Lord’s promise,“I am with you always, even to the end of the age” become real, active, and dynamic in the Church, in the sacraments, and in each of us. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, the Word of God, spoken over two thousand years ago, remains alive, meaningful, and relevant in every age, culture, and circumstance. Through the sacred gifts of the Spirit, we come to recognize the invisible presence of God, embrace the mystery of our redemption in Christ, and walk forward with renewed faith, hope, and love.

Secondly, Pentecost is not merely a historical event, but a living and ongoing reality that continues to shape the life of the Church and transform our hearts today. The same Holy Spirit who appeared before the disciples is alive within us, fill our hearts with love, and kindle in us the fire of truth, peace, and unity. He opens our minds to divine wisdom, strengthens our faith, enables us to live the Gospel authentically, and empowers us to be bold witnesses of the Risen Lord in a world. Therefore, we must remain open, attentive, and cooperative with the movement of the Holy Spirit. We must allow the Holy Spirit to convert our hearts, renew our faith, and make our lives a living instrument of God. We must be guided, renewed, and transformed in the power by the Holy Spirit for what is good, true, and holy.

Lastly, the gifts of the Holy Spirit must be embraced and exercised in humble cooperation with personal pray-er, the truth of Scripture, the commandments of God, and the teachings of the Church. They are to be guided by a spirit of discernment rooted in God’s divine perspective and His own plan. The seven gifts, including wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord, are not optional, but essen-tial for living a Catholic life and for becoming the disciples of God. They are not given to elevate our personal desires or material benefit, but to form our character, nurture our holiness and help us grow in love, faith, hu-mility, patience, and service. They are not meant solely for hatred, jelouscy, or division, but for the sanctifica-tion of the Church, the light of the world and the advancement of our mission as disciples of Christ.

Sincerely yours in Jesus Christ and Our Lady of La Vang!

Reverend Kiet Anh Ta.