7th Week of Easter – Saturday C

Published on 6 June 2025 at 13:07

My dear friends, may the Lord give you his peace. On this beautiful Saturday, as we prepare to celebrate the sublime solemnity of Pentecost tomorrow—the day when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles and transformed their fears into radiant courage—we are invited to reflect on how the Holy Spirit sustains us through suffering and tribulation. Our readings for today, particularly the account of Saint Paul’s imprisonment and the Gospel’s reminder of faithful discipleship, offer profound lessons on perseverance, hope, and divine support in moments of greatest anguish.

In Acts, we see the Apostle Paul, a man of immense faith and dedication, unjustly handed over to the Romans by his own people. Imagine the emotional weight he bore: the betrayal by those he longed to serve, the uncertainty of his future, and the physical and spiritual suffering of being chained and imprisoned. Yet, despite these hardships, Paul remains steadfast. He proclaims the Gospel boldly, courageously, and with complete assurance. His words reveal a heart rooted in hope and unwavering trust in God's plan – all of it the fruit of his encounters with the Risen Lord.

Paul’s suffering was not just physical but deeply emotional. To be handed over by his own community, to be misunderstood and persecuted, must have caused great sorrow. Yet, he did not succumb to despair. Instead, he relied on the Holy Spirit—the divine Comforter and Advocate—to strengthen his soul. The Spirit filled him with courage and clarity, enabling him to continue witnessing to Christ, even from confinement.

Similarly, our Blessed Mother experienced profound sorrow—standing at the foot of the cross, witnessing the suffering and death of her Son, who did no wrong. Her grief was visceral, yet her faith remained unshaken. She was a woman of hope, trusting in God's divine plan even amidst overwhelming pain. Her sorrow was transformed through her prayer and deep communion with the Holy Spirit, who sustained her with grace and hope. This is why, in our darkest moments, when our own hearts are afflicted with pain, when we find ourselves in a sad situation, we can always turn to our Blessed Mother to pray for us, because she stands before God, still now his servant, but also the Queen that he made her, and he refuses her nothing. She knows our pain, because she too endured excruciating torment for the sake of good, and saw clearly how it was all part of God’s plan – one which extended beyond this world.

Both Paul and Mary exemplify how the Holy Spirit lifts us above our suffering. As Paul confidently proclaimed the Gospel during his imprisonment, and as Mary stood firm at the foot of the cross, they demonstrated that suffering, when united with the Holy Spirit, becomes a pathway to deeper union with Christ. Their perseverance reminds us that no tribulation is beyond the reach of God's grace. The Spirit transforms our tears into seeds of new life, our fears into acts of courageous witness.

Tomorrow, we will celebrate the descent of the Holy Spirit—the Spirit that inspired the apostles to boldly proclaim the Gospel and gave Mary the strength to stand firm in her healed sorrow, for now she had seen her Son, risen and alive and resplendent. As our Lord told the apostles, so now our Blessed Mother also experienced; “Your grief will turn into joy.” As we prepare to receive this gift anew, let us open our hearts to the Spirit’s presence. Let us trust that, like Paul and Mary, we too can overcome every challenge through the Holy Spirit’s guidance, leading us from suffering to joy, from despair to hope, and from faithful discipleship to eternal life in Christ. May you be blessed, now and always, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen


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