Holy Mass of the Holy Spirit (26 February 1981)

From Japan, the Holy Father flew to Anchorage Alaska, where he celebrated the Mass of the Holy Spirit, on 26 February 1981. In his homily, the Pope enjoined us never to tire of praising the Holy Spirit, “the inexhaustible source of our life in Christ.”

Sing to the Lord a new song; / sing to the Lord from all the earth! / Among the peoples tell of his glory, / to all the nations tell of his wonders!

1. The feelings of joy that the psalmist's heart shows in praising the Lord with these words are the same feelings that well up in us as we gather here in Anchorage to celebrate this mass of the Holy Spirit. What better way to express praise to God than in that Spirit who is the vital principle of the life of the Church? What more fitting song could be sung than that which tells us of the inspiration and guidance of the Holy Spirit in proclaiming the Gospel of Christ to the world? What else can give us so much reason for joy if not the indwelling of the Spirit who is for us a pledge, a foretaste, a guarantee of the glory that awaits us in Heaven?

2. Being here in Alaska, so richly endowed with the beauties of nature, so rugged and yet so splendid, we feel the presence of the Spirit of God in the manifold work of creation. And we do not only feel this presence in inanimate nature and in the order of plants and animals, but even more so in the precious gift of life that God has inspired in each of his sons and daughters. Having fashioned man and woman in his own image, God remains with each individual during the pilgrimage of this earthly life, inviting, calling, urging through his Spirit to accept the salvation offered in Christ.

As I look at the people gathered here today, I see the sign of the Holy Spirit's call of faith in Alaska. Here many people with a different background and a different culture are drawn into a single faith community. Here Alaska Natives – Eskimos, Aleuts and Indians – join people from all over the United States to form a single ecclesial community. In recent years, Spaniards have come in ever-increasing numbers to join the united brotherhood of the Church. In recognizing this activity of the Spirit, don't we perhaps feel moved to sing a song of joy to the Lord? Don't our hearts overflow when we talk about the wonderful blessings the Spirit has poured into the Church?

3. But there is yet another reason to give thanks to the Holy Spirit in this hour. At the end of a pastoral journey that has taken me during these last eleven days to Pakistan, the Philippines, Guam, Japan and now here in Alaska, I wish to express profound gratitude to the Holy Spirit for his guidance and protection throughout the visit. In the name of the Holy Trinity, I began my journey as a pilgrim of faith, responding to the mission that Jesus gave to Peter: “Strengthen your brothers” ( Lk22,32). It is to assume this responsibility, which was entrusted to me by the work of the Holy Spirit, that I undertook this journey, and I hope that with the help of the same Holy Spirit these efforts will be a source of encouragement to the Bishops and to all my brothers and my sisters in the faith.

4. We can well ask ourselves: how does the Spirit move the human heart to respond to the revelation of the glory of the Lord? Jesus tells us in today's Gospel that the mysteries of faith are hidden from the wise and wise of this world and are instead made known to simple children. The response of faith is always a childish response, of one who recognizes God as Father.

Jesus himself teaches us this lesson when he accepts his mission in life, seeking not to do his own will, but that of the one who sent him (cf. John 5:30). Conceived by the work of the Holy Spirit, Jesus is the bearer of the Spirit in every situation of his public ministry.

When he had fulfilled the will of the Father regarding his Passion, Death and Resurrection, Jesus sent the Holy Spirit on his disciples so that they could continue and complete the Father's universal plan of salvation.

It is good for us to reflect for a few moments on what is implicit in the sonship of Christ, of which we participate through the Holy Spirit. In this regard our second reading from St. Paul's letter to the Romans is very helpful. The apostle describes the situation of a son as distinct from the condition of a slave. There is a different relationship, a relationship of intimacy, and this intimacy is indicated in the name by which the Father is known and addressed. Saint Paul tells us that those who are born of water and of the Holy Spirit speak to the Divine Father with the same words that Jesus used in the intimacy of his prayer in Gethsemane: "Abba, Father" (cf. Rom8,16). Our sonship in Christ therefore involves a relationship that is closer and more personal than that of a child to the parent who gave him life. On the part of the Father there is a love "that not only creates good, but allows us to participate in the very life of God: Father, Son and Holy Spirit" (John Paul II, Dives in Misericordia , 7). While the slave had obligations towards a master, the son is free and can therefore reciprocate the same love with which he was loved.

As children of God our love, given and nourished in the Holy Spirit, repeatedly invites us to a deeper intimacy with the Father. And how prompt and enthusiastic our response must be!

This invitation is perceived in prayer, which is not a simple obligation to carry out but also a means of strengthening our union in love. This prayer activity in the Church is never limited to certain groups or particular individuals. It is a privilege and a duty for everyone. Prayer must not be limited to participation in the liturgical rites of the Church; instead it must also reflect the constant search of people or groups to discover in private prayer and in common prayer ways to deepen their union in Christ.

In this context we recognize the wisdom of Paul VI, who observed that it is through prayer that Christians achieve the first fruit of the Spirit, which is joy: "The Holy Spirit inspires a filial prayer that comes from the depths of the soul and it is expressed in praise, thanksgiving, reparation and supplication. We can then experience a joy that is truly spiritual, the joy that is the fruit of the Holy Spirit. It is the joy of those who find rest in the human spirit and profound satisfaction in the possession of the Triune God, known by faith and loved with the charity that comes from Him” (Paul VI, Gaudete in Domino, III ) .

However, the presence of this joy does not exclude the possibility of suffering. Saint Paul immediately highlights this fact when he says that participating in the sonship of Christ also means participating in his suffering. Because to glory in Christ is to glory in his Cross (cf. Gal 6,14). As we seek to deepen our relationship with the Father in the Holy Spirit, we should not be surprised if we find that we are misunderstood, challenged, or even persecuted for our beliefs.

5. Nine days ago I beatified Lorenzo Ruiz and his companions in the Philippines. This holy man and these holy women knew well the meaning of Christ's words: “If they have persecuted me, they will persecute you also!” ( Jn 15:20). But despite the opposition they encountered, they trusted the guidance of the Holy Spirit to sustain them in the face of pain.

This faith also marked the history of missionaries in these Alaskan territories.

They too encountered the Cross in the form of physical limitations, disappointments, and opposition to their efforts to defend the faith. Their efforts often seemed to meet with little success during their lifetime, but the seeds had been planted for the testimony of a faith that is evident today.

Beloved brothers and sisters, we must learn the wisdom of the children of God to trust and hope in the constant presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church. Let us never allow ourselves to be confused by the suffering that can enter our lives, but rather let us try to transform it into the light of the Cross of our Savior Jesus Christ. May our trust always be placed in the Holy Spirit to discover in every new situation an opportunity to extend the redeeming love of Christ.

6. Today's generation brings with it new challenges and new opportunities for the Church in Alaska.

The Gospel must be proclaimed anew every day, and the fire of faith needs a breath to make it blaze. The Church needs people to preach, teach and administer the sacraments of Christ's love. I have no hesitation in asking Alaska's youth to respond to this challenge. Among you the Holy Spirit is certainly sowing the seeds of priestly and religious vocations. Do not suffocate that call, but give yourselves generously to the service of the Gospel of Christ.

The Holy Spirit also spoke through the Second Vatican Council of the need to increase the involvement of lay people in the apostolate of the Church. In the different circumstances of their lives, lay people are called to participate in the mission of the Church. In their family and in their daily occupations, in works of mercy and charity, in catechesis and in the cause of justice, lay men and women must build the Church and contribute to consecrating the world. Each member of the Church has a special charism given to him or her by the Spirit of God for the good of the Church.

Each gift is to be used for the benefit of the entire Body of Christ.

7. My dear friends in Christ, let us never tire of praising the Holy Spirit, the inexhaustible source of our life in Christ. He was present in the Church at the first Pentecost, he remains with the Church today and forever. We are confident in his strengthening power and learn to be docile in following his ways. Let us become ever more sensitive to his influence on our actions and always ready to pray for his Divine assistance:
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful / And light in them the fire of your love. / Send your Spirit and they will be created / And you will renew the face of the earth. So be it.

© Copyright 1981 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Copyright © Dicastery for Communication - Libreria Editrice Vaticana