It’s Pentecost Sunday

Today is the Solemnity of the Pentecost or the Holy Spirit or the Advocate that our Lord Jesus Christ promised to send to his disciples when he ascended into heaven, which was our gospel reading last Sunday. So this Sunday we read in today’s gospel when the Holy Spirit ascended into the upper room to bless the disciples. You can read it in John 14:15-16, 23-26.

Jesus said to his disciples, “If you love me, keep my commands. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever. 23 Jesus replied, “Anyone who loves me will obey my teaching. My Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Anyone who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.

25 “All this I have spoken while still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

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I must admit that when I read the Bible for the first time, I felt that the Holy Spirit was merely a figure that our Lord Jesus Christ sent to his disciples as his own spirit. But more than 20 years ago, I took the Life of the Spirit Seminar with the Bukas Loob sa Diyos and it was then I realized the Holy Spirit was truly with us and among us giving, teaching and following us every day. The Holy Spirit turned on the gifts that he gives everyone. The only difference is we don’t put our spiritual gifts to good use. It’s almost like saying if you want light you have to turn the switch on!

But as it is Pentecost Sunday, let us read the First Reading in today’s gospel teaching in Acts 2: 1-11. “2 When the day of Pentecost arrived, they were all together in one place. 2 And suddenly there came from heaven a sound like a mighty rushing wind, and it filled the entire house where they were sitting. 3 And divided tongues as of fire appeared to them and rested on each one of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit gave them utterance.

5 Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. 6 And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one was hearing them speak in his own lan-guage.7 And they were amazed and astonished, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans?

8 And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, 11 both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians—we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.”

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Few Catholics or Christians realize or understand that our entry into the Catholic Church was when we were all baptized and later confirmed by a bishop, the Holy Spirit was bestowed upon each one of us with his seven gifts of wisdom, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, understanding, piety, and fear of the Lord. It was like you were given a thing to play with or use, but you just didn’t use them or turn them on.

Just recall that when Jesus was with them, he taught his disciples everything that our Lord wanted to teach them. Yet, they all ran away when our Lord was arrested, tortured, and crucified. Then, as he prophesied, he resurrected on Easter Sunday and even then when he stayed with them for 40 days, they were all awed by his presence. Yet even after our Lord ascended into heaven, they were all so joyful, yet still scared of preaching what the Lord asked them to do.

But during Pentecost Sunday, the Holy Spirit gave them a new strength and confidence and they all went out to preach the Good News. On this day alone, they converted some 3,000 Jews. Today we are more than a billion Christians as the Holy Spirit continues to live with us through the end of time as promised by our Lord Jesus Christ.