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Reflection from our Pastors
Wednesday, July 22, 2026
By: Rev. Rosa Buffone
Pastor, Holy Spirit Catholic Community
Newton, MA
The summer months are upon us!
The expectation is to lighten up the calendar and engage in the slow-moving pace of the season… allowing for longer and deeper breaths that relax the mind and body into noticing and appreciating the gift of family and friends, beach and pool days, BBQs, long bike rides, tending to vegetable gardens and lounging with a good book in hand.
It’s my belief that these leisurely weeks are also opportunities for that extra time and space to engage with God more intentionally and relationally. We can do this through meditation, walks in the park, gazing at the evening sky and listening to the morning birdsong or the squeal of children on swing sets, the nth washing of wet, sand-filled towels or grimy work clothes, and putting our hands in the soil to weed flower beds.
Reorienting our outlook of these common happenings to moments that are grace-filled, God-revelations awakens us to the sacred joy and holy wonder of God's presence, in the ordinary, everyday actions of our lives.
Sure, it’s easy to see God revealed in the majestic mountains of creation, the beauty of sunrise and colorful shades of sunset. But finding God in the everyday, that’s the miracle that transforms our perspective and reminds us of Emmanuel still here after the triumphant liturgical season of Christmas ends, still here after the joyous Alleluia’s of the Easter season, still here in the spirit of Pentecostal tongues of fire and still here in the simple, ordinary times of July, August, September and so until the cycle begins again.
The spirit of God who empowered the early apostles and disciples of Jesus of Nazareth with the spirit of wisdom, the spirit of depth, the spirit of courage, the spirit of love, the spirit of renewal and the spirit of oneness two thousand years ago (as well as others, eons before) is the same Spirit who empowers us today and all our tomorrows!
We are called to love this world, as challenging as the times may be, as God loves it, as challenging this will be. God’s spirit is alive and well and seeking us in every moment of everyday to wake up to the grace-filled moments to help transform the ordinary into the extraordinary.
Living in this awakened realm of ordinary being extraordinary requires living from the primacy of love, recovering our capacity to wonder and imagine, and our openness to the Spirit of God that makes all things possible. It’s in these grace-filled moments that our consciousness evolves, our compassion deepens, our outreach expands. It's in these grace-filled moments love heals our fragmented world from all that claims to separate it from the Divine, and divine inter-connectedness.
Living life from the reservoir of God's creative energy renews our sense of purpose and significance and guides us beyond limitations towards newness and justice and equity.
Awakening to and living from God's Spirit dwelling within means opening our hearts and minds to God's transforming power, God's creating energy, God's abiding love. As such, the Spirit of God is present and active in every moment, every day forging a new hope, a sweeter future, a more meaningful life, a deeper connection to God and each other.
Every moment of every day invites us into creating a new reality. A spiritual manifesto for this new reality includes tuning-in to the Spirit of unity, peace, justice, love and compassion; welcoming a personal ascension where, by the grace of God, we understand our oneness with all creation; aligning ourselves with the Christ-light within us and shining brightly; awakening to the fire of the Holy Spirit upon us and claiming our divine identity and purpose in living heaven on earth.
Then, God’s presence recognized in ordinary ways - a smile, a phone call, a baked dish, a listening ear, holding a hand, laughing and singing and swaying together at a community concert - becomes an extraordinary blessing by our presence.
Rev. Rosa Buffone
Pastor, Holy Spirit Catholic Community
Newton MA
Image by Trond Giæver Myhre from Pixabay
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