Sunday, April 19, 2024, is Pentecost when we celebrate the Holy Spirit coming upon the Apostles, Mary, and the first followers of Jesus. Pentecost Sunday concludes the Easter season and celebrates the birth of the Church.
The following is a Pentecost Reflection written by Fr. Carlos Morales, OFM Conv.
Pentecost the feast of the promise of God
We complete the seven weeks of the Easter fiftieth, we have intensified each day, meditating on the new life after the Resurrection of Jesus and his ascension to heaven. One of the most important events was the preaching of the disciples to all people and that caused the conversion of many men and women. Everyone who believes and is baptized will be saved. In addition to that, becoming a propagator of the message of the resurrection.
There is another very striking thing that comes from St. Paul. Everything about Paul is expressive, very expressive, at the same time mysterious. “But the Spirit intercedes for us with groanings that cannot be expressed.” And what does it mean? Is it a poetic or fantastic representation? The comment is not easy, but Saint Paul was a mystic as he narrates in some of his letters. And his deep knowledge of Christ has led him to be the greatest expert in Christology. No one has been able to surpass him in the transcendent, human and divine narrative of our Lord Jesus. And all of these he had to learn in a dimension different from the pure human sphere.
The Spirit guides our lives, illuminates them, heals, repairs, but many still do not know him, they do not invoke him, even though we have received him since we were baptized. It is the new life that many welcome and that spreads throughout the generations who believe that the Risen Jesus is God present there, dying on the cross and resurrected.
The festival of Pentecost was a Jewish celebration called “weeks.” It originally recalled an agricultural custom: celebrating the “seven weeks” after the first offering of barley. He then went on to commemorate the presence of God and his law at Sinai. And the arrival of the Holy Spirit to the cenacle was the consequence that the apostles with courage – and, above all, Peter, head of the Church – began to preach the Kingdom of God. It was, in turn, the birth of the Church as a missionary. He began his Mission that day and continues trying to bring the Word of God to all the ends of the earth.
Let us not allow Pentecost to end today, shortly after the Eucharist or at the end of the day. Pentecost is the beginning of the co-redemptive action of all followers of Christ. The Holy Spirit accompanies us, and guides us. Every day should be Pentecost. Hallelujah! Peace and good.
HOLY SPIRIT PRAYER
Come Holy Spirit,
fill the hearts of your faithful
and kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit
and they shall be created.
And You shall renew the face of the earth.
O, God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit,
did instruct the hearts of the faithful,
grant that by the same Holy Spirit
we may be truly wise and ever enjoy His consolations,
Through Christ Our Lord. Amen. †