Jesus said to his disciples: “Go into the whole world and proclaim the gospel to every creature. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved; whoever does not believe will be condemned… So then the Lord Jesus, after he spoke to them, was taken up into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God. (MK 16:15-16,19)
Scripture tells us in the waters of Baptism the love of God has been poured into our hearts by the grace of the Holy Spirit who dwells in us. It us the Holy Spirit that prays with us and in us. The Holy Spirit cleanses our hearts then fills them with God’s love and his sanctifying grace. Why our hearts? It is a gift of divine beauty, created in the image and likeness of God. It is the place of Holy Communion with God. But our hearts were broken by sin and distorted by pride. We were separated from the love of God. Our hearts needed to be repaired and prepared to once again receive the love of God. Salvation History in itself is a love story about the fall from grace and the raising to new life. It is the Holy Trinity that acts in this Holy Trilogy of love. The mission of God is to mend our hearts and unite them back to the Heart of Father, through the Love of the Son, in the Power of the Holy Spirit. In the first part of the story, God the Father acts. He pursues his children who have evicted themselves from heaven. Why? He wants to forgive them. He wants to tell them how much he loves them. He wants to bring them back home. But like sheep without a shepherd, they are lost, each doing their own thing. So out of love for us, the Father sends his Son to repair and prepare our hearts through the gift of forgiveness in order to fill them with love again. In the second part of the story, it is God the Son who acts. Jesus’ mission is that of love and forgiveness. He is born into humanity, baptized in the Holy Spirit to teach us how to live as children of God. Jesus suffered, was crucified, died, rose again and ascended back to the Father. Then he sent the Holy Spirit to purify our hearts. Without the Holy Spirit, the Resurrection and Ascension would be something that happened only to Jesus. In the third part of the story, it is God the Holy Spirit who is acting. Making all that Jesus said and did come alive in us. Come alive in our hearts. Everything that the Lord suffered and died for us to have – the healings, the blessings, the teachings, the gifts, the graces, now come alive in our hearts. Come alive in us. Isn’t that an amazing story? It is our story. The love of God has been poured into our hearts through the grace of the Holy Spirit. Open your heart to receive God’s love. Open your heart to receive the gifts of the Holy Spirit. “Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love.”