| Pentecost celebrates the
birthday of the Church, the giving of the Spirit,
the call to follow the Spirit. Pentecost is the
celebration of gifts. Today’s
first reading from the Acts of the Apostles is
set on the fiftieth day after Passover. Many
people have gathered in Jerusalem for the feast
of Weeks. One hundred twenty of Jesus’
disciples are assembled in one
place. Together they await the Spirit that
Jesus has promised. Imagine the excitement
of the disciples as they receive the gifts of the
Spirit.
Suddenly,
there is a noise like a powerful
wind. Tongues of fire appear, part, and come
to rest on each disciple. Each individual
present is “filled with the Spirit.”
With peace and courage, these disciples begin to
proclaim the Good News.
We,
too, received the gifts of the Spirit. We
should live with a deep, inner joy, knowing that
the Spirit is present with us and will give us
the strength to be “good news” for
others.
Pentecost
should be a day for us to celebrate the
anniversary of our Baptism and especially our
Confirmation when we received the fullness of the
Holy Spirit. We too have received gifts to
help us to carry out the message and mission of
Jesus. We too have received the gifts that
will enable us to be true disciples of Jesus in
what we say and do.
The
message of the feast of the Ascension, to go out
to all the world and proclaim the good news, is
seen in action with the feast of
Pentecost. The fearful disciples are now
fearless and they boldly proclaim Jesus crucified
and risen. May we too join the disciples in
proclaiming Jesus by our lives.
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