As the parishioners of the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Penang waited for the coming of the Holy Spirit, they came together to listen to the breaking of the word by anointed priests during the Pentecost Triduum and Pentecost Vigil as well as to pray and listen to testimonies during the Pentecost Vigil Prayer Service. The five Ministry Cluster Groups within the Cathedral were tasked with animating different days throughout these last few days.
The Cathedral chose ‘Fan into flame the gift of God’ (2 Timothy 1:6) as her theme for our 10-day journey starting from the Ascension of the Lord. The Cathedral made ready various Upper Rooms for different language communities to listen to the breaking of the word. We were blessed to have Fr Simon Lau ministering to the Mandarin speaking community and Fr John Anandan, OFM, ministering to the Tamil speaking community during the Pentecost Triduum from 24th to 26th May 2023.
On Pentecost Triduum Day 2, Fr Crispus Mosinoh, OFM, shared on how to ‘Fan The Fire’, especially when the flame is low and weak. In the Acts of the Apostles, we witnessed how Paul fearlessly proclaimed the gospel even when confronted with opposition and threats to his life.
Firstly, Paul’s unwavering dedication to the truth should inspire us to fan the fire of our faith especially when we are challenged and tempted to follow the way of this world, when we are forced to conform to the standard of this world. Just as Paul relied on the Holy Spirit’s strength and guidance, we too must draw upon the power of the Holy Spirit to remain steadfast in our faith and share the Good News with courage and conviction.
Secondly, we must understand the importance of unity and love among believers. Jesus prayed not only for His disciples but for all those who would believe in Him, through the disciples’ efforts in proclaiming and spreading the Gospel. We must therefore fan the fire of our faith by fostering unity within the body of Christ, within the family, embracing one another with love and grace, and striving for reconciliation in times of disagreement and division.
Fr Crispus shared the image of a bonfire. To fan the fire of our faith, we must position ourselves closer to the center where the flames burn brighter and stronger. This means drawing nearer to Christ, the source of our faith and through prayer, worship in Mass and the study of the word. By immersing ourselves in His presence, we allow His love and power to transform our lives, igniting a deeper and more passionate faith within us. As we unite in Christ, our collective flames grow stronger, illuminating the darkness of the world and we can draw others to the light of the Gospel. We can be beacons of light in a world longing for hope.
The Novena and Mass for this day was animated by the Formation Cluster Group.
