David Haas’ song, Send Us Your Spirit, is resonating in my mind this afternoon.  It was played and sung at three of the four Masses in our parish cluster this weekend. You know the words:

Come Lord Jesus, send us Your Spirit, renew the face of the earth.

Come Lord Jesus, send us Your Spirit, renew the face of the earth.

Fill us with the fire of Your love. Burn in us now. Bring us Together.

Come to us. Dwell in us. Change our lives O Lord. Come to us Spirit of God.

Come Lord Jesus, send us Your Spirit, renew the face of the earth.

Come Lord Jesus, send us Your Spirit, renew the face of the earth.

Send us the wings of new birth. Fill all the earth with your love You have taught us.

Let all creation now, be shaken with love. Come to us Spirit of God.

Come Lord Jesus, send us Your Spirit, renew the face of the earth.

Come Lord Jesus, send us Your Spirit, renew the face of the earth.

(Copyrights: David Haas)

Isn’t this a wonderful way to close the Easter season? As we begin again Ordinary time, a time in which we go forth renewed by the Easter mysteries and strengthened by the Holy Spirit to call the world back to Jesus, we can do so singing, Come Lord Jesus, send us Your Spirit, renew the face of the earth! Come to us Spirit of God! For it is God’s work we do, not ours. We will renew the face of the earth only with the Spirit of God.

If only every morning, as we awaken from sleep, we would have first come to mind these words, Come Lord Jesus, send us Your Spirit, renew the face of the earth!” It would be an apt expression of our love for the Lord and the placing of ourselves in the hands of Jesus to renew the world. We would rediscover the missionary calling of the Church. We would be filled with the fire of His love. All of creation would be shaken.

Could you imagine if over one billion Catholics worldwide would awaken every morning with that prayer?

The face of the earth would be renewed.

Come Lord Jesus! Come to us Spirit of God!