Year A-6 PENTECOST 5/31/2020
Dear friends in Jesus Christ,
“The Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost in order that he might sanctify the Church continually and so that believers might have access to the Father through Christ in the one Spirit.” ( Lumen Gentium # 4)
Today we celebrate the feast of “Pentecost”. It is the birthday of the Church. Traditionally, Pentecost was celebrated as the feast of the “giving of the Law” at Sinai.
The miracle of Pentecost is that when “tongues” of fire descend upon the disciples, they spoke one language comprehensible to all. At Bebel, the Lord confused the language of all the earth (Genesis 11:9). At Pentecost, the Spirit made one language intelligible to all.
Jesus commissioned the Apostles saying, “As the Father sent me, so I am sending you. Receive the Holy Spirit.” Let us compare this with the birthing of humankind (Genesis 2:7). As God’s Spirit resuscitated the ‘the man of dust’, so does Jesus breathing of the Holy Spirit effect and energize disciples of the church. The disciples are commissioned for reconciliation: forgiving and retaining of sins.
The Holy Spirit is the Lifeline to the church. It is you and me are the members of the church. Let us prepare for Pentecost anew by reflecting: what is my special charism and contribution to this church. The Spirit bestows unique charism on each and every person.
Birthdays call for giving gifts. What personal gift would we like to present to the Mother- Church? From the second reading, St. Paul tells us: “All were made to drink of one Spirit.” St. Paul understood the Spirit as the internal principle of Church-unity. Therefore, let us allow the Holy Spirit to melt us, mold us, and use us.
God bless and have a blessed Sunday,
Fr. Lou P.