The theme for the Pentecost Vigil is Take Over. As we wait in the Upper Room on this last night, Fr Joachim Robert reflected that the whole experience of the past ten days have made us realise of who we are as Church, as community and how the Holy Spirit unites us and empowers us to go out on Mission.
We are all blessed with this gift from God and we must fan into flame that gift that the Father has given to us. In order to fan the flame, we must allow the Holy Spirit to take over, to entrust our life to the Holy Spirit so that we are able to glorify and magnify God to see the wonders and glories He wants and will work in our lives.
The first point that Fr Joachim brought to mind was to see the goodness in ourselves and in one another. He explained that sometimes our real self is covered from the world. We cover our own goodness, our own talent and gifts. We must allow that mask to be removed so that we are able to see the true identity that we have in God. We need to ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us who we are in God’s eyes. The work of the Spirit is to reveal that goodness in our hearts and make us be known as who we are. If we are not able to see the goodness in ourselves, we are unable to see the goodness in others as well.
Secondly, we are to trust on the Holy Spirit. Fr Joachim brought to mind how driving a car with the handbrake is like. Our lives are like that when the baggage (our sin, anger, ability to want to be in control, sickness) that we have continue to hold us down. We need to let go of the handbrake in order to move in freedom in the way that God wants of us. We need to allow the Holy Spirit to take control, to take on the driver’s seat. In that way we can be the companion on that journey because someone greater than us is leading us forward.
Thirdly, Fr Joachim encouraged all to get connected to God’s Wi-Fi. The password is C-H-S (Come, Holy Spirit). When we allow the Holy Spirit to come into our lives, we are connected to a far greater source of power. Let us surrender to the Holy Spirit to take over and to allow us to see the far greater goodness that He has in each and every one of us so that together we can fan the gift of God in our lives.
The Novena and Mass for this day was animated by the Youth.
From 9pm to 12 midnight, close to 200 faithful waited in the Upper Room at two locations, Mandarin speaking community in the multipurpose hall and the English speaking community in the church to pray the rosary, reflect on the Word, participate in meditative worship, and intercede as a Church for the coming of the Holy Spirit. The Pentecost Vigil Taize Prayer Service was animated by the Basic Ecclesial Community (BEC). The night started with Praise and Worship before various BEC members led the praying of the rosary. In between the rosary decades, the Pentecost Vigil Old Testament Readings were proclaimed, and a few parishioners shared on how the Holy Spirit had touched their lives
