By Fr. Ed. Liptak, SDB

Just as details of the Ascension are best given in Acts, so it is for the coming of the Holy Spirit. In fact, though the Spirit is often mentioned in the Gospels and Letters, only in Acts, thanks to St. Luke, is the descent of the Spirit described. That seems totally appropriate, for he introduced the Spirit at the Incarnation, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. Therefore, the child to be born will be called holy, the Son of God” (Lk 1:33). If at the birth of Jesus, why not at the birth of His Mystical Body, the Church? (Acts 2:1-11).

And that is our first reading of Pentecost. Jesus had told them at His Ascension to await the Promised One. This has become the pattern of all other nine-day prayers we now call novenas. The Holy Spirit responded by revealing Himself in a driving wind and tongues of fire, and though a crowd had gathered from numerous regions of the Near East and Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Islands of the Mediterranean, they all understood the Apostles’ preaching. We, too, are called to listen and to understand. Christ, on our behalf, called the Holy Spirit from heaven. The loving Holy Spirit calls us from heaven to live there forever with Christ.

The Holy Spirit is a quiet but essential part of our Christian life. St. Paul teaches the Corinthians in our second Pentecost reading, “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” Again, to the Philippians and in a burst of feeling, Paul, moved by Christ’s obedient and saving sacrifice, proclaimed, “Every knee should bend, every tongue confess that ‘Jesus Christ is Lord,’ to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:10b-11). A true Christian should ever seek in the depth of faith and affection to be moved by those words of Paul praising our Savior God by the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, John’s Gospel invites us to join the disciples as they welcomed the Risen Lord. He had come among us to save us from sin. Now, Jesus was to share with His Church the reason why He came. We are called to witness the source of compassion and love which moved Him. On that evening, He breathed His Spirit of love and forgiveness upon them,“Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them …”

Graciously forgiven, gratefully do I give thanks!