Dear St. Raphael Parishioners,

Pentecost: Before Jesus departed from his disciples at the Ascension, he promised that He would not leave them as orphans. Today we celebrate the coming of God’s Holy Spirit to the Church, the final step in the revelation of God to all the world. Since the Holy Spirit is one of the three Divine Persons, there will always be some mystery for us. We cannot completely understand God, because God is beyond the capacity of the human mind. But we know some truth about God simply because He has revealed it to us.

I often wonder why the gospels mention the Holy Spirit a few times well before Pentecost, but never explain what it means. The most likely answer is that the early Church could witness the Spirit’s power directly at the time the gospels were written. So as the events of Jesus’ public life were written down, it was easy to see in hindsight the Holy Spirit’s power in action. Even the prophets, centuries before Jesus, had written about God’s Holy Spirit as a powerful force for good. But the prophets did not know the Spirit as a person of God Himself. The arrival of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost was something radically new in the world.

The power of the Holy Spirit has kept the Church alive for twenty centuries. This fact alone might be evidence of divine power among us. If the Church were just another human activity, it would eventually die out, just as every other human organization has. As sinful as people may be, God’s Spirit still dwells with us. When we practice our faith in prayer and charity, the power of the Holy Spirit increases in us.

Summer events are coming! The Rummage Sale is only three weeks away. Items may be dropped off starting June 12. More schedule information is in this bulletin. The Parish picnic will be Sunday, June 11.

Wildlife in our yard: Our church location makes for a lot of wildlife sightings. I personally have seen deer, coyotes, swans, cranes and various other kinds of “God’s critters” around the church. For the past few weeks, a pair of Canada geese has been grazing near the driveway as I come to the church. Last Saturday I noticed them leading four half-grown goslings into the rushes near the drainage area, south of the parking lot. Geese might act aggressively at times, but generally are harmless if they see you aren’t scared of them. Making noise often scares them away. Hopefully this advance warning will avoid potential problems.

God bless, 

Fr. Matthew