FROM THE PASTOR’S DESK
Dear St. Mary’s Parishioners:
Blessed Pentecost! Sometimes, I publish a “re-run”. This letter was in the bulletin for Pentecost 2018. Enjoy!
Today, we celebrate the birthday of the Church, when God in His providence and generosity sent the Holy Spirit to the first leaders of the Church and to us. May the Holy Spirit reign in our hearts! May the Paraclete, the Advocate always guide us, stand by us and console us. One of my favorite traditions of Pentecost that I have only heard about, but never experienced firsthand, takes place every year at the Pantheon in Rome. The Pantheon is 1,890 years old and is the world’s oldest building. Originally dedicated to the gods (“pan”=all and “theon”=gods, in Greek), it was converted to a Catholic church and dedicated to “St. Mary and the martyrs” in the seventh century. The Pantheon is a circular building with a circular opening in the roof, known as an “oculus”. The oculus is a 142 feet in diameter and is situated 142 feet above the floor.
On Pentecost Sunday, Mass is celebrated in the Pantheon. After Mass, everyone present has the gift of witnessing the “pioggia degli petali di rose” or the “rain of the rose petals”. (One can view this amazing tradition on YouTube right here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WFUJk1UvdvI) Originating in the year 609, the tradition of the raining rose petals points to, and symbolizes, the tongues of fire descending on the Blessed Mother and the apostles who were praying in the Upper Room in expectation of the coming of the Holy Spirit. St. Luke writes in the Acts of the Apostles, from this Sunday’s First Reading: “And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.” (Acts 2:3-4)
Of course, the “rain of the rose petals” is not a miracle. Rather, Roman fire fighters haul the bags of petals up to the roof and drop the petals down at the end of Mass. As the petals descend, they cover the center floor of the Pantheon with a coating of aromatic, beautiful rose petals. The rain of the rose petals may not be miraculous, but the fact that the Holy Spirit continues to work in our lives is a miracle and a gift that we want to embrace with all our hearts. We pray today that the Holy Spirit reign in our hearts and encourage us to live according to God’s call that we be saints. May the Holy Spirit inspire us to use our God-given gifts in our everyday lives.
In the Father, Son and Holy Spirit,
Father Berg
