Today, Sunday 11th May 2008 marks the Feast of Pentecost.
A feast of the universal Church which commemorates the Descent of the Holy Ghost upon the Apostles, fifty days after the Resurrection of Christ, on the ancient Jewish festival called the “feast of weeks” or Pentecost (Exodus 34:22; Deuteronomy 16:10). Read more at Catholic Encyclopedia (New Advent).
As the Holy Spirit empowers and inspires us to bring the Good News to others, do we straightaway go knocking door to door clutching our Bibles and spewing scriptures verses with the aim of converting someone? Here’s a story from the celebrant’s homily to share with all readers:
The Squirrel and the Owl
There once lived a squirrel and an owl in the same forest. One day the squirrel asked the owl: “Dear wise old owl, can you tell me how heavy is a snowflake?” The wise old owl pondered for a moment and replied: “The weight of a snowflake is nothing more than nothing.” The squirrel thought for a while and asked again: “Are you sure the weight of a snowflake is nothing?” The owl replied: “Sure! Very sure.” The Squirrel sat for a moment and told the wise old owl: “During winter, I counted the number of snowflakes that landed on the tree branch I was resting on. When I was about to count the one million, nine hundred and fifty two thousand, one hundred and seventy fifth snowflake, the branch broke and I fell to the ground with it.” Looking at the wise old owl, the squirrel said: “That was sure a lot of nothing.”
This story brings to mind the little things we can do in our daily lives as an exemplary Bible to those around us. We may not have profound knowledge of theology or scriptures. But we can, in our own little ways, in our sincere expression of words and actions, treat family members, friends, strangers or even those of other religion/beliefs who we are by following the ways that Jesus has taught. For in you, others read You, the Bible. Not how much you know about Christ but how much you practice His ways.
Leaving you with a quote from a Catholic nun who was well respected from all ethnic and religious groups for her deeds in the image of Christ:
In this life we cannot do great things. We can only do small things with great love. ~ Mother Teresa
