Allocutio – May 2024

Acts 2:1 : “And when the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place”. Dear brothers and sisters, Easter has already passed 50 days, the apostles, Mary and other women all gathered together. Today, we have the same experience, we gather in the same place to join a gathering of all brothers and sisters on earth. Group praying is a universal experience, no matter where we are, Jesus’ face and words will always guide our hearts. For Legionaries, our daily prayers are also a global experience. Organizations worldwide are living the experience of Jesus’ disciples, living in a religious organization is living out the Word of the Lord. During this time after Easter, we understand the importance and value of “togetherness”. Home of the organization is the arena for prayers, and praying as a group manifests the strength of the Holy Spirit in place and time. The gift of prayer is important to each individual as it allows us to unite together, relief us from evil, and furnish us with a new feeling so that we can open our hearts to love! Here, we listen to the Gospel together, Jesus speaks to us through the Gospel and relay the Holy Spirit to us. In praying together, we become the listener, and through listening, we grow to become a prophet!

In the Gospel we hear from the Acts of the apostles about the story of what happened in Jerusalem on Pentecost, it gave us signs of our understanding of what had happened, initially there was “a sound like the blowing of a violent wind”, then “tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them”, most importantly, the Holy Spirit granted them the ability to speak in a new way and talk in other tongues. This is the wind of the Holy Spirit “blowing arbitrarily” and resting on the people gathered together so that we will stay away from our habits. Only when we work together can we realize the strength. Each time when we touch people’s souls through our work, the Holy Spirit’s power is incarnated which change the lives of ourselves and those around us. This is the power which prompted the apostles to go out, open the door of the house which was closed due to fear. The Acts recorded a list of all those who were present on the day which symbolized the whole world, all nations were represented just like the Legionaries who are present all over the world today.

When the apostles were talking, each heard their own language being spoken, “How is it that each of us hear them in our native language …… declaring the wonders of God in our own tongues!” Touching people’s hearts is what the Holy Spirit allows us to do which is part of “the wonders of God”. Through the Holy Spirit, the Legion of Mary speaks to each person, using different languages so that they can be understood, infiltrate the hearts which are closed and fearful. Are we still unduly shut out and scared? The Holy Spirit has turned a new era, an era of prophecy. Apostles were able to overcome fear when they were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they started to talk to every person. The Holy Spirit has befallen and from that day onwards, guided the apostles through worldly paths. The Holy Spirit did not come once and for all but it is a present to renew unceasingly in organizations through consistent prayers. Today, this gift has been renewed in the church and our daily lives so that we can step out and proclaim the Word and love of Jesus.

Spiritual Director
Fr. Francis Tam
19 May 2024