Enkindle in Them the Fire of Your Love: Solemnity of Pentecost (C)

Liturgical readings

Acts 2:1-11
Psalm 104
Romans 8:8-17
John 14:15-16, 23b-26

"The Counselor, the Holy Spirit will teach you all things."

The gospel for the Solemnity of Pentecost is taken from the 14th chapter of John. The immediate context of this gospel passage is the Last Discourse of Jesus, which He had given to His apostles after washing their feet (chapter 13). Within this Last Discourse, Jesus spoke about the Holy Spirit, the Paraclete. The verses in which He speaks about the sending of the Holy Spirit contains words that occur several times over: love (occuring 4 times), Father (occuring 4 times), and the Holy Spirit (occuring 3 times). The message Jesus wants His apostles to understand is the importance of love and obeying His commands, and how He will ask the Father to send the Holy Spirit to instruct them in everything - everything they need to remember of what He had taught them.

In a sermon on the solemnity of Pentecost, St. Irenaeus of Lyons teaches that the "Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and strength, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of God, came down upon Jesus". And Jesus in turn gave this same Spirit to His Church - beginning with the apostles and then continuing to be poured out upon all of Christians through baptism and the sacraments. It is by the Holy Spirit that the Church is instructed in the Truth, and also instructs all her members to know everthing that Christ has taught.

The Holy Spirit is the Third Person of the Holy Trinity. His role in the birth of the Church is very vital. He continues to sustain and sanctify the Church through prayer and the sacraments. It is from Him that all Catholic families and individuals are given the strength to do the good and avoid the evil. From Him comes an outpouring of wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, strength, fear of God, piety, prudence, justice, temperance, courage, charity, peace, joy, faith, goodness, kindness, patience, generosity, modesty, chastity, self-control, gentleness, humility, hope, and more.

Points for reflection: Do I pray to the Holy Spirit for help in all my undertakings, especially during moments when I need to make an important decision? What gift or gifts of the Spirit do I especially need in my present circumstances? What step can I take so that everything I am and do is led by the Spirit of Christ?