Title: Meditation: Pentecost Sunday, May 19, 2002

The Catholic Calendar for Sunday, May 19, 2002
    Pentecost Sunday

Scripture from today's Liturgy of the Word:
    Acts 2:1-11
    Psalm 104:1,24,29-31,34
    1 Corinithians 12:3-7,12-13
    John 20:19-23

A reflection on today's Scripture:

Immediately after the crucifixion and death of Jesus, the disciples had
good reason to hide from the Jews. In those days, apostasy under Jewish
law was punishable by death. Within hours of Jesus' sacred, atoning
death, he appeared to the frightened group, breathed upon them and said:
"Receive the Holy Spirit."

Fifty days after Passover on the Jewish feast of Pentecost, the Holy
Spirit came again to the disciples as they gathered to pray - this time
with the sound of a great wind as He rested in the form of tongues of
fire upon them. Suddenly they were filled with great boldness to
proclaim the Good News of salvation everywhere to everyone.

This same Holy Spirit will come upon us too, if we first deny Satan a
place in our lives and invite Jesus to enter our hearts and souls as our
companion throughout every moment of the day. The starting point for all
of this is to genuinely amend our sinful ways and seek God's forgiveness
in Confession: the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Receiving God's
forgiveness will open the way for the Holy Spirit.

The secular world desperately seeks happiness, chanting "love, peace and
joy." Wouldn't you too, like to have within your soul the Gifts of the
Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety
and fear of the Lord? Wouldn't you like to be filled with the Fruits of
the Holy Spirit: love (charity), joy, peace, patience, kindness,
goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control
and chastity?

Come, Holy Spirit!

- Joachim, ocds


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