Pentecost Sunday

Today's Mass Readings

As the seven weeks of Easter come to an end on this Pentecost Sunday, our readings focus on the gift of the Holy Spirit through which the Holy Trinity is fully revealed. It is the Spirit that dwells among us and assists and inspires us in the course of living our lives as Christians, and through which Christ’s paschal mystery is brought to completion. We see the manifestation of that inspiration and assistance as the Holy Spirit descends upon the Apostles and assists them in proclaiming the Gospel. In our first readings, we find a vivid description of the interaction of the Holy Spirit with the Apostles on Pentecost. Pentecost was one of three great Jewish festivals that originated as a day of thanksgiving for a good harvest. Later, in the Jewish faith, it was identified as a day in which God’s delivery of the Law to Moses was commemorated. The Pentecost celebration was held 50 days after Passover.

Given the historical context of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit’s interaction with the Apostles on that day carries a significant meaning. It is on the day of this festival that the Apostles are filled with the Holy Spirit and “speak in different tongues” (Acts 2:4) through the assistance of the Holy Spirit so that they may more effectively proclaim the Gospel. The Holy Spirit assists the Apostles in expressing themselves in a way that the diverse group before them can more effectively hear the Gospel. The Pentecost celebration, which had focused on thanksgiving for a good harvest, now becomes the date on which the Apostles’ spiritual harvest begins.

Paul confirms the importance of our continued interaction with the Holy Spirit in today’s second reading when he states that “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” (1 Cor 12:3) The continued work of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives is also highlighted in today’s Gospel, where Jesus directly confers the Holy Spirit upon his Apostles.

For each of us, the presence of the Holy Spirit should continue to provide us with a source of strength in living our Christian faith. Each time we gather together the gift of the Holy Spirit is extended to us. While it is unlikely that we will granted the ability to speak a foreign language to spread the Gospel, that event, which is described in today’s readings is not without meaning for us. It conveys the message that the Holy Spirit will continue to assist us in our efforts to improve our current world by living our faith.

The spiritual harvest that was commenced by the Apostles continues today, and we are each presented with opportunities to continue that harvest. By allowing the Holy Spirit to work through us, we can find creative ways to appeal to parties who have previously been unable to hear the Gospel message. While the Apostles in today’s readings were confronted with language barriers, we may be confronted with cultural barriers or a heart that has been hardened by a complete immersion in consumerism. How do we convey the Gospel message to such people? Perhaps it can be done by finding a creative way to make the Gospel assessable to someone who is struggling to make God a part of their lives for the first time or even someone who has never considered God’s role in their life. While the opportunities and approaches are as different and diverse as the people who need to hear the message, our reliance on the Holy Spirit to guide and assist us in these efforts remains constant and unchanging. As Paul states in today’s second reading “To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” (1 Cor 12:7)

- John Sperino