Dear Brothers and Sisters,

 

Our Scripture readings of the past six weeks gave us inspiring and challenging thoughts, calling us to be Easter people. Easter people are called to go on into the uncertain future trusting that the risen Lord will meet them on their journey, to trust in the mercy  of God and to be merciful just as our heavenly father is merciful, to be filled with God’s peace and be channels of his peace for the world, to be vigilant and watchful just as the Lord is as our good shepherd, to be fruitful as disciples of Jesus which depends on our connection with Jesus our master,  to be joyful in the Lord and be agents of joy for others and to be witnesses for Jesus Christ. .

 

Today, we celebrate the feast of Pentecost. Jesus had assured his disciples that He would send His gift of the Spirit from the Father to be their comforter and advocate and that this Holy Spirit would do many things for them that they themselves would be unable to do. Just as he had promised, on the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and filled them with new spirit and transformed them into a new people with new direction and purpose.

 

Our first reading today, from the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1-11) tells us that the disciples experienced a new courage, a harmony, a unity, and a fellowship that they had never dreamed of! They were from different territories, they were of different backgrounds and they spoke different languages. But they understood each other! The disharmony, the disunity and the brokenness and confusion that people experienced at Babel was reversed…at Babel they began to speak many languages and they could not understand each other anymore…at Pentecost, they spoke different languages and they understood each other…the Holy Spirit brought them into a new kind of relationship that transcended cultural, social and language differences.

 

On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples and filled them with new power and courage that transcended their  experience and expectations. . They were no longer afraid. Fear had paralyzed these men and they were hiding behind closed doors. The Holy spirit broke through their fears, doubts and anxieties and freed them to proclaim the good news of the resurrection of their master Jesus.  They spoke boldly and moved with courage and compassion to bring the good news of Jesus to the world. .  Frightened men became fearless and courageous proclaimers of the resurrection of Jesus.

 

To read more of this Sunday’s reflection, please click on the link below…