Whitsunday - 5 Jun 1954

I want to draw your attention to the message of the Angel Gabriel to the Blessed Virgin Mary when he announced that she would give birth to Jesus. The Angel said: “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the most high shall overshadow thee: wherefore also that which is born shall be called, Holy, the Son of God.” (Luke 1:35) By the creative activity of the Holy Spirit the Blessed Virgin gave birth to the word made flesh. You will notice that the Lord’s parting words to His Apostles were the same. “Ye shall receive power when the Holy Ghost is come upon you and ye shall be my witnesses both in Jerusalem and in all Judaea and Samaria and unto the uttermost parts of the earth.”

By the creative activity of the Holy Ghost the Mother Church gave birth to the word of God living in His Church. By the power of the Holy Spirit the Blessed Virgin gave birth to Jesus who by His life and teaching showed the world what God was like. His life revealed what the character of God was. Those who came into contact with Him said: “We beheld His glory , glory as of the only begotten from the Father full of grace and truth.” Such a life was able to draw many to God. It is God’s will that the life lived by Christ should continue in the world even after His Ascension. That is why He gave them the Holy Ghost.

Just as by the power of the Holy Spirit the Blessed Virgin gave birth to Jesus Christ, the word made flesh, so by the power of the Spirit the Mother Church should give birth to a new life which should be a continuation of the life of Christ. The word must become flesh in every one of us. The life of Christ must be lived in the world by the Church. We are all called to contribute our share to the life of Christ as members of the Body of Christ. The character of God must be revealed though our own life, our own words, and death as Jesus did reveal. It is only by the power of the Holy Spirit that we can do this. Let us therefore pray that God may give us His Holy Spirit in abundance that we may show forth in our lives the life that Jesus lived.