Celebrating Pentecost

By TOM DENNEHY

The Easter Season ends with the celebration of the great Feast of Pentecost on June 8th. We have heard, in our recent readings at mass, the great work of the Apostles in the early Church, working all kinds of deeds and wonders. We have heard the Gospel of Saint John on the last words and promises of Jesus before His death on the cross. Jesus promises his apostles, “I will not leave your orphaned” He would ask the Father and He would give them another Helper to be with them forever. “I have told you all this while I am still with you. From now on the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, will teach you all things and remind you of all that I have told you.”John 14.25.26. Jesus suffered and died on the cross and rose from the dead as He promised He would. He was with the apostles for forty days after His resurrection, building them up. They had seen His miracles and heard His teaching and witnessed His resurrection. Jesus knew the importance of His return to the Father so that The Holy Spirit could come.

The Ascension of Jesus

At His ascension into Heaven Jesus promised them, “You will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, throughout Judea and Samaria, even to the ends of the earth.” He warned them to stay in the city and wait there. He would send them what The Father had promised. They were to wait until they were clothed from on high. They stayed together with Mary in the upper room as Jesus had told them to do and true to His promise, they were clothed with power from on high. Tongues of fire came to rest upon them. They spoke in tongues and they were accompanied by signs and wonders. They were no longer fearful. They went out with courage and could not be stopped preaching in the name of Jesus. Pentecost marked the beginning of our Church founded by Jesus Christ Himself, the one true Church, as on that day 3000 were baptized. So today, we have 2.4 billion people in our Church. The Holy Spirit today is guiding our Church. In the last days, God says, “I will pour out my Spirit on every mortal. Your sons and daughters will speak prophesy. Your old men will dream dreams and your young men will see visions.” Joel 2. 28.

We are now living in the time of the Holy Spirit. We have all received the Holy Spirit at our Baptism and these gifts have been confirmed in us at our Confirmation. All the spiritual blessings of Heaven are activated in us at Baptism and we become brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ. We can call God -Abba- Father, who cares for us and loves us unconditionally. Fan into a flame the gifts you have been given.

The problem is that these gifts often remain unopened as we need to consciously and knowingly understand the gifts we have received. So we need to stir them up as they are like sugar in our tea that needs to be stirred up to taste the sweetness. If it is not stimulated regularly by prayer, attending Holy Mass, going on pilgrimage and being baptized again for an infilling of the Holy Spirit, our human body will not produce the Gifts, Charisms and Fruits of the Holy Spirit. When we live in the power of the Holy Spirit we come to know God in a new way. We experience God’s love and presence. We begin to develop a personal relationship with Jesus which is key to our growth in a life in the Spirit. Scripture becomes alive for us and Holy Mass will mean so much more. Our hearts are filled with love and we will feel the urge to share this love with all we encounter. We begin to experience the fruits of the Spirit which are Joy, Love, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self Control. So as we prepare for Pentecost in this Jubilee Year, let us join with Mother Mary in prayer, as the Apostles did in the upper room and ask God, Our Father, to send an outpouring of His Holy Spirit upon us.

He so much wants to give us His Holy Spirit. “What Father would give His son a stone if he asked for bread? How much more will our Heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ask Him.” Luke 11.13.

Come Holy Spirit and enkindle in us the fire of your love.