"Holy Spirit Back-up Plans" -Homily Starter by Michele Birch-Conery, Bishop ARCWP Heart of Compassion Faith Community, Windsor, ON, Canada May 26, 2019

                                                             
Michele Birch-Conery prays over Rhea Lalonde in Heart of Compassion Ceremony- Commissioning for Ministry

Barbara Billey ARCWP co-presides with Rhea Lalonde 

Ever since the encounter with the Risen Christ on Easter Sunday, the Risen Christ has been telling his disciples not to be afraid, not to doubt. He was not leaving them abandoned and he was encouraging them to continue doing what he's been asking them to do all along, which is to teach and to spread his Word, to build his kin-dom. The disciples wonder how they'll ever be able to do this without him.

In their fear the Risen Christ keeps coming back to reassure them, first of all to have peace and to not be afraid, that he will be with them throughout all time. Now he's getting more explicit, telling them there will be an Advocate that will be the Holy Spirit who will come upon them and they will be taken care of forever by this Spirit.

There will be all sorts of back-up plans; never ending plans that God has in reserve for them through the Holy Spirit to be given as gifts of fire, love and the capacity to do what is needed. They will not be able to believe until the marvelous morning of Pentecost, which is coming very soon, when the Spirit of the Risen One will descend upon them and us.