Homily for Pentecost Sunday 2025 - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

I Believe in the Holy Spirit . . .

Dear Parishioners,

Pentecost Sunday. The Holy Spirt is poured out on the Apostles. The Catholic Church comes alive! 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church tells us: 

The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is brought to completion in the Church, which is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. This joint mission henceforth brings Christ's faithful to share in his communion with the Father in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit prepares men and goes out to them with his grace, in order to draw them to Christ. The Spirit manifests the risen Lord to them, recalls his word to them and opens their minds to the understanding of his Death and Resurrection. He makes present the mystery of Christ, supremely in the Eucharist, in order to reconcile them, to bring them into communion with God, that they may "bear much fruit." (Jn. 15: 8, 16)  CCC #737

I think that we need to be reminded regularly about the presence of the Holy Spirit continually working among us. Let me relate to you a quite remarkable and unforgettable instance from my past.

While I was still in high school work, the theology department from my high school at the time would annually bring the senior class to Maris Stella Church in Avalon, NJ for a Day of Recollection. The day was known to the students as Senior Retreat. While I would inevitably celebrate the Mass for the students, I was not usually the speaker chosen to present all the talks or reflections the entire day. This one particular year, while I had some free time, I was given the duty to travel to the local convenience store to pick up lunch for all the chaperones.

As I was leaving the convenience store with the bag of sandwiches and other edibles in my arms, a young man approached me and asked if I were a Catholic Priest.  I was dressed in my black clerical garb wearing my roman collar at the time.  After telling him “yes,” he asked if he could speak to me in private.

In the course of the conversation, he told me that it was his birthday that day and he had prayed to God specifically for the opportunity to go to confession. He later sees me in the convenience store! And he was given the answer to his prayer—to go to confession—for some unbelievable, mysterious reason!

I wonder what the odds were of meeting this particular person at this particular convenience store in this particular town at this particular time for this particular purpose.  Probably as great odds as hitting the Power Ball! I believe it was the Holy Spirit mysteriously at work in a remarkable way!  This was not the first time—and I am pretty confident that it will not be the last time—when God’s Holy Spirit would mysteriously and inexplicably guide the course of things. Some may call it “chance” or a “random occurrence.” I, however, see it as God’s Holy Spirit at work in response to prayer.

On this Pentecost Sunday, try to become more attuned to the presence and working of God’s Holy Spirit in your daily lives. Just as the apostles were guided, strengthened and enlightened by the Holy Spirit on that first Pentecost, trust that the same Holy Spirit is present today, willing to do the same for you!

Oh, by the way, a strange occurrence happened to me subsequently when I went on a sick call. Intending to bring Holy Communion and the Anointing of the Sick to one particular person (as requested), I just “happened” to be temporarily delayed. Later, when I finally went, I inexplicably crossed paths with someone else looking for a priest to do the same for an entirely different person! Was this just another coincidence? Or was it rather God’s Holy Spirit mysteriously guiding me once again to do His work?

If you ask me, I’ll simply tell you that I believe in the Holy Spirit.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for Pentecost Sunday "A" 2023 - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

A Spiritual "Triple-Header"

Dear Parishioners,

During the next three weeks, the weekend Masses will celebrate some very significant mysteries of our faith:  Pentecost (the Holy Spirit), the Most Holy Trinity and Corpus Christi (the Most Holy Body and Blood of Jesus Christ).

Pentecost Sunday recalls the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary.  Jesus promised that when he left this world He would send His Spirit to strengthen and guide His disciples.  The Holy Spirit continues to direct the Church and to remind us of what Jesus taught. 

The Catechism of the Catholic Church (CCC) teaches us (#688) about the Holy Spirit and the Church:

The Church, a communion living in the faith of the apostles which she transmits, is the place where we know the Holy Spirit:
- in the Scriptures he inspired;
- in the Tradition, to which the Church Fathers are always timely witnesses;
- in the Church's Magisterium, which he assists;
- in the sacramental liturgy, through its words and symbols, in which the Holy Spirit puts us into communion with Christ;
- in prayer, wherein he intercedes for us;
- in the charisms and ministries by which the Church is built up;
- in the signs of apostolic and missionary life;
- in the witness of saints through whom he manifests his holiness and continues the work of salvation.

Trinity Sunday focuses on the mystery of the Triune Godhead as revealed to us by Jesus.  Recall that the Jewish people were strict monotheists. It must have been quite a startling revelation for them that the One True God is a unity of three Divine Persons—Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  Jesus made known the mystery of the Trinity for us. The mystery of the Most Holy Trinity is the central mystery of the Christian faith and of Christian life.  God alone can make it known to us by revealing himself as Father, Son and Holy Spirit. (CCC, #261) This teaching is not something that we would be able to figure out for ourselves without God’s revelation.

 

Corpus Christi (which is celebrated in the universal Church on a Thursday—the day of the Last Supper —but moved to Sunday in the United States) is all about the gift of the Holy Eucharist. How can the Son of God be truly present under the form of bread and wine?  The Catechism instructs us:
 

It is highly fitting that Christ should have wanted to remain present to his Church in this unique way.  Since Christ was about to take his departure from his own in his visible form, he wanted to give us his sacramental presence; since he was about to offer himself on the cross to save us, he wanted us to have the memorial of the love with which he loved us "to the end," even to the giving of his life.  In his Eucharistic presence he remains mysteriously in our midst as the one who loved us and gave himself up for us, and he remains under signs that express and communicate this love. (CCC, #1380)

Volumes have been written and countless sermons preached over the centuries on each of these topics. From a pragmatic point of view, why not take time during the next few weeks to reflect on the wisdom of the Catechism as it tries to enlighten us about our Catholic faith? We should continually seek greater understanding and clarity as we try to delve more deeply into the precious mysteries of our faith that have been revealed to us.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter "A" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for Pentecost Sunday "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Pentecost

Dear Parishioners,

Today in the Catholic Church we celebrate Pentecost Sunday.

Pentecost comes from a Greek word meaning “fiftieth day.”  In the Jewish tradition, Shavuot or the Feast of Weeks celebrated the time between Passover and the giving of the Law (Torah) to Moses on Mt. Sinai, a period of 50 days.  It was the Hellenistic (Greek) Jews who referred to this feast as Pentecost.

In the Christian tradition, however, the meaning is different.  Fifty days after Easter, Christians celebrate Pentecost as the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles (See Acts 2: 1-41).  Pentecost has been referred to as the birthday of the Church.

Knowing the history of the Apostles and their actions / reactions to the Passion and Death of Jesus is significant here.  Judas betrayed Christ and then hanged himself (Mt. 27: 3-10).   Out of fear, Peter denied Christ (Mt. 26: 69-75).  Also out of fear, all of the other Apostles (Mt. 26:56), except for John, fled from the cross.  Yet, after receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, Peter, acting as the spokesperson for the other Apostles, addressed the crowds fearlessly:

You who are Israelites, hear these words. Jesus the Nazorean was a man commended to you by God with mighty deeds, wonders, and signs, which God worked through him in your midst, as you yourselves know. This man, delivered up by the set plan and foreknowledge of God, you killed, using lawless men to crucify him. But God raised him up, releasing him from the throes of death, because it was impossible for him to be held by it . . . . God raised this Jesus; of this we are all witnesses . . . . Therefore let the whole house of Israel know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Messiah, this Jesus whom you crucified.  (Acts 2: 22-24, 32, 36)

Obviously, something significant changed Peter and the other Apostles.  First, they experienced the Risen Lord Jesus.  They saw that He was alive despite everything that was done to torture and kill Him.  He is alive.  Next, they were filled with the gift of the Holy Spirit.  They received supernatural gifts to strengthen them with their mission of preaching, teaching and witnessing to Christ’s Resurrection.

I believe in the power of the Holy Spirit.  If the Holy Spirit can be responsible for the growth of the Church against all odds from its seemingly impossible beginnings to become a Church of over a billion today worldwide, can we underestimate what that same Spirit can do to renew the face of the earth?  Pray to the Holy Spirit for guidance and strength.  Pray for the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit to be more fully present in your lives.

Don’t ever underestimate what the Holy Spirit can do if we invite Him into our lives (give Him permission) daily.

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Homily for the 6th Sunday of Easter "C" - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Homily for Pentecost Sunday - Fr. Edward Namiotka

 

Preparing for the Holy Spirit

Dear Parishioners,

After His Resurrection, Jesus appeared to His disciples and told them:  “. . . You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” (Acts 1:8)

As Christians, we first received the Holy Spirit when we were baptized.  In Jerusalem, St. Peter declared to the crowd: "Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit." (Acts 2:38)  St. Paul also reminds us:  “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?”  (1 Cor. 6:19) 

In Confirmation, the same Holy Spirit is once again given to us.  According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church:  “It is evident from its celebration that the effect of the sacrament of Confirmation is the full outpouring of the Holy Spirit as once granted to the apostles on the day of Pentecost.”  (#1302)

In Jerusalem after Jesus’ Ascension, the apostles were assembled in the upper room as a community.  They remained there in prayer together with Mary, the mother of Jesus, in preparation for the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them at Pentecost. (See Acts 1:13-14)

   

Each year we should prepare similarly as we approach Pentecost Sunday.  The idea of a novena—nine consecutive days of prayer—took place in the early Church between Ascension Thursday and Pentecost Sunday.  We should pray for an outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon ourselves, our families, our parish, the Church, our nation, and our entire world.  We need the Holy Spirit to guide us, to strengthen us, to protect us and to fill us with His love.

Pray for the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit to fill your lives.  The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit (See Isaiah 11:2) are wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.  The fruits of the Holy Spirit, according to the Catechism (#1832), are “perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory.  The tradition of the Church lists twelve of them: ‘charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity.’" (Gal. 5:22-23)

Remember that the Holy Spirit is a Person—the third Person of the Blessed Trinity.  Sometimes the limited images (tongues of fire, a dove, etc.) used to describe this mysterious Person may restrict our thinking and understanding.  We should strive to know and truly love this mysterious Person.  There should be a certain intimate relationship that we establish with the Holy Spirit through prayer.

Begin praying that the Holy Spirit fills the hearts of all believers and enkindles in them the fire of His love more fully!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor

Pentecost Homily - Fr. Edward Namiotka

Come Holy Spirit!

Dear Parishioners,

This weekend we celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary—Pentecost Sunday.  Unfortunately, it will be another important solemnity on the Catholic Church calendar where the doors of our Church will be closed for public Holy Mass.  Please pray that we will soon be permitted to resume public Masses once again.  In the meantime, you are invited to watch our live-stream on Facebook.  

Wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord are the traditional seven spiritual gifts that the Holy Spirit gives to us.  They are enumerated in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah. (11:2-3)  According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church: “The moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit.  These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit.” (1830)

Here’s a brief summary of the Gifts of the Holy Spirit (from Scott P. Richert) that I found helpful:

Through wisdom, we come to value properly those things which we believe through faith.  The truths of Christian belief are more important than the things of this world, and wisdom helps us to order our relationship to the created world properly, loving Creation for the sake of God, rather than for its own sake.

While wisdom is the desire to contemplate the things of God, understanding allows us grasp, at least in a limited way, the very essence of the truths of the Catholic Faith. Through understanding, we gain a certitude about our beliefs that moves beyond faith.

Through the gift of counsel, we are able to judge how best to act almost by intuition.  Because of the gift of counsel, Christians need not fear to stand up for the truths of the Faith, because the Holy Spirit will guide us in defending those truths.

Fortitude gives us the strength to follow through on the actions suggested by the gift of counsel.  Fortitude is the virtue of the martyrs that allows them to suffer death rather than to renounce the Christian Faith.

Knowledge allows us to see the circumstances of our life the way that God seems them.  Through this gift of the Holy Spirit, we can determine God's purpose for our lives and live them accordingly.

Piety takes the willingness to worship and to serve God beyond a sense of duty, so that we desire to worship God and to serve Him out of love.

Fear of the Lord gives us the desire not to offend God, as well as the certainty that God will supply us the grace that we need in order to keep from offending Him.  Our desire not to offend God is more than simply a sense of duty; like piety, the fear of the Lord arises out of love.

These Gifts of the Holy Spirit “complete and perfect the virtues of those who receive them.  They make the faithful docile in readily obeying divine inspirations.”  (Catechism, 1831)

By being open and receptive to these gifts of the Holy Spirit you will be pleasantly surprised where the promptings of the Holy Spirit lead you!

Fr. Ed Namiotka

Pastor