It is fitting that Elijah is called out in our Gospel reading today. You see Elijah is one of two prophets that did not experience death (as you may recall Elijah was taken to heaven in a fiery chariot). These two prophets are to return to the Earth during the end times to confront the anti-Christ. But, that is a homily for another day.
Elijah, however, is an important prefigurement for our topic today. The fire that consumed Elijah's sacrifice on Mount Carmel is seen as a prefigurement of the "Flame of Love" at Pentecost. Pentecost reminds us to open ourselves to embrace God's Spirit, through the desire for a deeper relationship with the Holy Spirit.
This Flame of Love that came to rest on each of the early Christians at Pentecost, is the same Flame of Love that is meant to rest on each of us at our Confirmation. The Flame of Love that enables us to boldly proclaim the mighty acts of God and to be His agents in renewing the face of the earth.
This message is still unfolding today. Now we are not obligated to believe private revelation, but on March 24, 1963, Jesus said to Elizabeth Kindelmann, “Through the Flame of Love…faith will take root in souls, and the face of the earth will be renewed, because nothing like it has happened ever since the Word became Flesh (the Word was made flesh when the Holy Spirit came upon the Virgin Mary in her personal Pentecost, if you will).
The renewal of the earth, although flooded with sufferings, will come about by the powerful intercession of the Blessed Virgin.”
Brothers and sisters, we are called to be an active part of this renewal of the world for the glory of God through the fires of Pentecost the Flame of Love. In fact, listen to the words of Saint Louis de Montfort: “The Holy Spirit, finding His spouse (Mary) present again in souls, will come down into them with great power. He will fill them with His gifts, especially wisdom, by which they will produce great wonders of grace…loving and glorifying Jesus.
These great souls filled with grace and zeal will be chosen to oppose the enemies of God who are raging on all sides.
They will be ministers of the Lord who, like a flaming fire, will enkindle everywhere the fires of divine love. They will become, in Mary's powerful hands, like sharp arrows, with which she will transfix her enemies.”
Then, as if speaking to the Lord, he said, “When will it happen, this fiery deluge of pure love with which you are to set the whole world ablaze and which is to come, so gently yet so forcefully, that all nations…will be caught up in its flames and be converted? When you breathe your Spirit into them, they are restored and the face of the earth renewed.”
Brothers and sisters, all of us received this breath of the Holy Spirit at Confirmation, although (if you were like me) we may not have had the correct intention nor disposition at the time for the graces of Confirmation to be activated in our lives.
Still, the question for all of us becomes, how do we stoke the Flame of Love within us and continue to become the beautiful soul described by Saint Louis de Montfort?
Baptism in the Spirit is a transformational experience of the love of God the Father poured out into one’s heart by the Holy Spirit, received through a surrender to Jesus Christ.
It brings alive sacramental Baptism and Confirmation, deepens communion with God, enkindles evangelistic fervor, and activates charisms.
Or as Saint Paul said in his second letter to Timothy, “I remind you to stir into a flame the gift of God that you have through the imposition of my hands. For God did not give us a spirit of cowardice but rather of power and love and selfcontrol."
The Lord takes delight in His people through the Flame of Love and the sacramental life of the Catholic Church.
Thanks be to God!
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Consecration to the Holy Spirit
On my knees before the great multitude of heavenly witnesses I offer myself, soul and body, to You, Eternal Spirit of God. I adore the brightness of Your purity, the unerring keenness of Your justice and the might of Your love. You are the Strength and Light of my soul. In You I live and move and am. I desire never to grieve You by unfaithfulness to grace and I pray with all my heart to be kept from the smallest sin against You. Mercifully guard my every thought and grant that I may always watch for Your light and listen to Your voice and follow Your gracious inspirations. I desire to belong to You from now on. I want to be freed from the dominion of darkness and the rule of Satan. I want to enter into Your Kingdom and be part of Your people. I will turn away from all wrongdoing, and I will avoid everything that leads me to wrongdoing. I offer my life to You, and promise to obey You as my Lord. I ask You to baptize me in the Holy Spirit and give me all the Gifts of the Holy Spirit. I cling to You and give myself to You and ask You by Your compassion to watch over me in my weakness. Holding the pierced Feet of Jesus and looking at His Five Wounds and trusting in His Precious Blood and adoring His opened Side and stricken Heart, I implore You, Adorable Spirit, Helper of my infirmity, so to keep me in Your grace that I may never sin against You. Give me grace, O Holy Ghost, Spirit of the Father and the Son to say to You always and everywhere, “Speak, Lord, for Your servant is listening.” Amen.
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