First reading: Acts 2:1-11
Responsorial Psalm: Psalm 104
Second reading: Galatians 5:16-25
Gospel reading: John 15:26-27; 16:12-15
"He will guide you to all truth".
This passage from the gospel of John, makes us see Jesus and how
He spoke to His disciples about the coming of the Paraclete - "the
Spirit of truth who comes from the Father". This Paraclete, the
Holy Spirit, will be sent by Christ from the Father, to bear
witness on behalf of Christ's words and deeds. His coming to the
community of the apostles and disciples, will guide them to the
fullness of truth, and about the things that are to come.
Pentecost Sunday is the culmination of the Easter season. The word
"Pentecost", comes from the root word meaning "fifty". It tells
us that between Easter Sunday and Pentecost Sunday, there is a
span of fifty days. And Pentecost is the solemnity of the descent
of the Holy Spirit upon the apostolic community. As the Holy
Spirit overshadowed Mary and conceived in her womb the Word-made-
flesh (Jesus Christ), so the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Mary
and the apostles, gave birth to the Church - to all the followers
of Jesus that will continue the work and ministry of Christ thru
the power of the Holy Spirit.
In our Catholic tradition, we learn more again about the Holy
Spirit when a member of our family is being prepared to receive
the sacrament of Confirmation. Through this sacrament, a person
becomes fully "equipped" by the Holy Spirit, for the Christian
struggle against sin and evil in the world. The person becomes
as it were, a "soldier of Christ" - one who belongs under the
standard and banner of Christ, and through His mighty Spirit,
battles against all the evil that he encounters in his life
journey. The Holy Spirit is therefore a spiritual power for good.
He equips the Christian with gifts and strengths to bear and
produce good works in the world. From the Holy Spirit, we receive
wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, piety, strength, fear
of the Lord, justice, temperance, fortitude, prudence, charity,
joy, peace, fidelity, goodness, kindness, patience, generosity,
chastity, modesty, self-control and gentleness. These gifts and
other countless spiritual gifts to build the Christian community,
are given by the Holy Spirit to us, that we may bear witness to
the truth about our Lord Jesus Christ. The truth that we are to
bear witness to is a Truth that heals, teaches, saves, and
shepherds to genuine prayer, good works, and acts of holiness.
