Taste and See: the mystery of the Spirit

The Preface of Pentecost speaks of the role of the Spirit at the birth of the Church.

The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.

Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right and just.

It is truly right and just, our duty and our salvation,
always and everywhere to give you thanks,
Lord, holy Father, almighty and eternal God.
For, bringing your Paschal Mystery to completion,
you bestowed the Holy Spirit today
on those you made your adopted children
by uniting them to your Only Begotten Son.

This same Spirit, as the Church came to birth,
opened to all peoples the knowledge of God
and brought together the many languages of the earth
in profession of the one faith.

Therefore, overcome with paschal joy,
every land, every people exults in your praise
and even the heavenly Powers, with the angelic hosts,
sing together the unending hymn of your glory,
as they acclaim:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord God of hosts . . .

Each day, at the Eucharist, in the offering of the Sacrifice and the sharing in Holy Communion – in both actions we pray that the Holy Spirit will be at work, hallowing and sanctifying – the Church on earth receives the grace to be made new.

Our participation in the Mass is often fruitful to the extent that we prepare ourselves for that participation, and to the time we take afterwards reflecting on the mystery celebrated.

• What preparation do you find most helpful?
• When do you find most convenient to reflect on the experience of celebration?