“When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And they were all filled with the holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” (Acts 2:1,4)

 

The major theme for this Pentecost Sunday focuses on the coming of the Holy Spirit to the disciples, the apostles, and the Virgin Mary, which marks the birthday of the Church, encouraging all Christians to work on the evangelization mission mandated by Christ, to expand God’s kingdom in our lives for the salvation of the world.

 

Today’s celebration is a feast that both Jews and Christians celebrate. For Jews, the Pentecost, along with the feast of the Passover and the feast of Tabernacles, is one of their major feasts, that every Jewish male living within 20 miles of the capital city of Jerusalem was legally bound to enter the city and participate in the traditional ceremony prescribed in the Old Testament.

 

The word “Pentecost” comes from the Greek word “Pentēkostē,” which literally means “fiftieth,” that celebrates the 50th day or the end of the seven Sabbath weeks after the Passover. It is a day of thanksgiving, remembering God’s covenant with Noah, which took place 50 days after the great flood, and God’s Sinaitic Covenant with Moses, which occurred 50 days after the beginning of the Exodus from Egypt.

 

However, for Christians, the Pentecost marks the end of the Easter season with the coming of the Holy Spirit, who is our Advocate, the third divine person of the most Holy Trinity (CCC #731). He is a gift and power from God, that brings us divine love, known as the charity, which is the source of new life in Christ (CCC #733, #735), empowering us to preach the Good News of the Gospel to all.

 

God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topic invites us to appreciate God’s gift of the Holy Spirit, to imitate and follow Jesus Christ more closely, to repent our sins, to exercise our Christian stewardship, to use our time, treasure, and talents to love God above all and to love our neighbors as ourselves, participating in the works of mercy, to accomplish God’s will in our lives to glorify God.

 

How can we receive and acknowledge the indwelling of the Holy Spirit inside us, and appreciate His divine gifts, helping us to maintain and expand the kingdom of God, the Holy Church, in our lives?

 

Wishing everyone a blessed week in the Lord.