Dear Parents, Guardians, and Friends,

It is also timely to remember where we are in the Easter season.  For many centuries, and still in many dioceses around the world, Thursday of the sixth week of Easter is Ascension Thursday.  In the Diocese of Richmond, and in many dioceses in the United States the feast is transferred to the following Sunday, so we will celebrate this solemnity together in a few days.  This feast marks the end of the 40 days that Jesus walked with His apostles after His resurrection.  Imagine having 40 days with someone who didn't just experience death and come back, but who really and completely died, and conquered death.  What's it like to have power over death?  This is the great gift we have when we are baptized into Jesus Christ.  Do you ever think about what questions you would have asked Him?  Don't you think there is so much that was not written that we'd like to know about?!  Of course, He does not abandon us to our own wits and ways of life, but promises to send the Holy Spirit - God Himself - to lead us into all truth.  All truth was revealed in Jesus Christ, but He told His apostles "I have more to tell you, but you cannot bear it now," and He proceeded to talk about this Spirit whom He would send to guide us into truth.  This is not just about knowing the truth, but also having the power - the powerful divine grace of God - to live this truth.   Do you know how much time there is between the Ascension of Jesus into heaven and the descent of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost?  Those of you who remember your catechism know that it is exactly nine days - enough time to make a novena!  In fact, Jesus commanded the apostles to pray this first novena.  He told them to pray and wait for the Holy Spirit.  They didn't know how long it would take, but it was nine days after the Ascension of Jesus that the Holy Spirit descended.   The Holy Spirit is the great untapped Friend of our day.  He is waiting to unleash great blessings and power on His Church, but we need to be open and ask for this so that we are ready to receive it.  I encourage all of you to make this novena of prayer to the Holy Spirit, that on Pentecost we will receive anew this Spirit that leads us into all truth.  There are formal and informal ways to pray a novena.  One of my favorite prayers to the Holy Spirit is an old Latin hymn that Saint Dominic was known to sing, called Veni Creator Spiritus (Come Creator Spirit).   For the more advanced novena prayer warrior, I recommend following the EWTN novena which is very thorough, instructional, and prayerful.  There are so many needs to pray for, but most especially that we will draw closer to God, and open our hearts to do His will, so that His power and grace would be unleashed in a world so in need of His light and love.  Would that we would surrender our own wills and our own way of thinking how things should be and give God a chance.  How much time we waste in complaining and in failing to be grateful for our good lives.  Let's resolve to pray during these nine days and ask expectantly with faith that the Holy Spirit will transform our hearts and lives in love.

With prayers for your families,

Sister Dominic, O.P.