Pentecost and The Holy Spirit

Today being Pentecost Sunday, the priest offering our Mass asked us what symbol/image did we associate with the Holy Spirit. There are the obvious, e.g., "a dove" or "tongues of fire". Ironically, about a month ago my brother and I were discussing the very same thing. I told my brother I envisioned The Holy Spirit as something invisible yet knowing to exist. To me this is best illustrated as I see The Holy Spirit as the air circulation flowing from God, e.g., the Breath of God in Creation, the Breath of Jesus on the Apostles when He instituted the Sacrament of Reconciliation, the Breath of Jesus when He gave them His great commission--i.e., the very sustenance of life. I envision The Holy Spirit being a peaceful and soothing as a gentle breeze--something hardly noticeable but there, and when need be as strong as tornado or hurricane force winds. Is it not possible that the tower or cloud that led and protected the Israelites fleeing the Egyptians and the separation of the sea which created their final of the means of escape could they not have been brought upon by The Holy Spirit--The Love of The Father and The Son (The Word)?

Anyway, I find my image of The Holy Spirit though lacking as any human image would be, very comforting--one of the many titles describing The Holy Spirit--"The Comforter".

I pray and hope that as this Easter Season is drawn to a close, it was as Blessed for you as it was for me and that you radiate The Love of The Father and Son, i.e., The Holy Spirit to all you encounter through the rest of your life.

Rescinding of the conscience rights of medical professionals

The following is an updated reflection/comment I e-mailed to a few family members and friends on April 5, 2009.

I suspect you may already know that our current administration is planning on rescinding the conscience rights of medical professionals initiated by the preceding administration.

Please let me quote a notice from our March 29, 2009 parish bulletin.

"The U.S. Department of Health & Human Services is inviting public comment on a proposal to rescind an important December 2008 federal regulation. The regulation implements and enforces three federal laws protecting the conscience rights of health care providers. The conscience protection rule is one part of the range of legal protection for doctors, nurses and others, especially those at risk of being discriminated against because of moral or religious objection to abortion....

"According to St. Paul we must act to please God and honor our conscience (Cf. Rom 13:15).

"Let the Dept. of Health and Human Services know that you stand for the protection of conscience especially for those who provide the health care services so necessary for a good society."

Though the Dept. of Health and Human Services was asking for a response in April, since the agency's Secretary has just been confirmed, it may no be too late to write and express your concerns.

The e-mail address for health and human services is: http://hhs.gov/

You may "snail mail" your comments to either:

Kathleen Sebelius
Secretary
Department of Health & Human Services
200 Independence Avenue S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201

or

Philip VanLandingham
Director
Department of Health & Human Service
200 Independence Avenue S.W.
Washington, D.C. 20201