Today, all who have been baptized and believe, celebrate that most wonderful of gifts, the gift to each one of us of the Holy Spirit.

It is the third most important feast of the entire liturgical year. So important is it that the priest celebrant has a choice for the second reading and Gospel. For the second reading, should we hear first Corinthians, may I point out that in this passage from St. Paul’s magnificent discourse on the risen Christ as head of his mystical body (us) he explains: ”There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit (for all) there are different forms of service but the same Lord (for all) there are different workings but the same God, who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit (to the rest of the body).”

Each of us can and should meditate on this deeply and often. Our faith should remind us that “no man is an island”; we are called to live in relation to other people, to be a community, to be of some benefit to others, whatever talents and gifts God chooses to give us. If we are responsible, we cannot sleep walk through life, ignoring this call to mission.