A Linguistic Link 

The Holy Spirit unifies the Church over time as well as space. As the language understood by the congregation passed from Hebrew to Greek to Latin, and then into the “vernacular” (language spoken by the ordinary people), the Mass has preserved some Hebrew words (Hosanna, Amen, Sabaoth), Greek (Kyrie eleison), and Latin (Agnus Dei…, Gloria…, Sanctus…) for regular or occasional use in any country. The General Instructions for the Roman Missal (GIRM 9) tell us this “preserves understanding… of the Church’s entire past and of all the ways in which her one and only faith has been set forth in the quite diverse human and social forms prevailing in the Semitic, Greek, and Latin areas. Moreover, this broader view allows us to see how the Holy Spirit endows the People of God with a marvelous fidelity in preserving the unalterable deposit of faith, even amid a very great variety of prayers and rites.” 

In our day, parish liturgies foster unity through “inclusive language.” And congregations will often include words or hymns in the language of an immigrant group in order to emphasize the “communion in the Holy Spirit” that makes us one in spite of our diversity of language. This is the work of the Holy Spirit. 

ACTION: Make an effort to “think inclusively” in business, politics, and social life. Respect others’ feelings and deliberately emphasize unity with respect for diversity. 

PRAYER: Lord, let us be one as you are one, “in the unity of the Holy Spirit.” 

— Fr. David M. Knight

View today’s Mass readings on the USCCB website here

Easter season is the time to focus on the Holy Spirit. Starting on Easter Sunday, we will look carefully at how the Spirit is proclaimed, invoked, and presented to us in the Mass. Lex orandi, lex credendi: “As the Church prays, so she believes.”

After that, we will reflect on the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit (Isaiah 11:2; Galatians 5:22), and at how the Spirit enters the life of those who believe.

As you read these reflections, ask for the gift of Understanding. Ask to really understand what you believe, what you see and hear at Mass. Go deeper into understanding the Mass than you ever have before. We experience the Faith when we become aware of its mystery. We hope you reflect deeply on the Mass and Gifts of the Holy Spirit, and find yourself more and more drawn into the mysteries of our Lord in the Mass and in His Gifts.