Remembering Mary as Help of Christians

As we are preparing to celebrate Pentecost, it is providential that today we remember Mary, Help of Christians. When God's messenger Gabriel told Mary that she had been chosen to be the mother of Jesus, she was naturally very surprised and perplexed. ''How can this be?'' she asked. Gabriel replied, ''The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and so the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God.'' We know that Mary accepted and Jesus was born into our world through the power of the Holy Spirit. When he had completed his mission on earth and returned to his Father, Jesus promised that his Spirit would come upon his disciples. The Spirit came at Pentecost and the apostles immediately began to preach the good news. For 2,000 years the same Spirit has guided and protected the followers of Jesus and now we are the ones being chosen to be his witnesses. ''I am not asking you to take them out of the world. As you sent me into the world, so I am sending them.'' Just as a young girl in Nazareth was empowered by the Holy Spirit to bring Jesus into the world, so now he will come to us to help us in our mission. ''If you give good gifts to your children, how much more will the heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him.'' (Luke 11:13) ''Come Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love.''