PENTECOST

Are you worried about your job, your financial future, putting up with the everyday conflicts of your life? How is evil overcome in our life and in the world? Take heart! We don’t have to do this alone. That is what the Feast of Pentecost is all about.

Pentecost literally means "the fiftieth day." In the Old Testament it was a harvest festival coming fifty days after the beginning of the grain harvest at Passover. It celebrated the giving of the Law at Sinai and the covenant made with the Chosen People.

The most important Pentecost for Christians was the one that occurred fifty days after Jesus' resurrection, when the Holy Spirit entered the lives of the believers in the Upper Room in Jerusalem. Since that time, Pentecost has been an important day in Christian worship. It is often referred to as "the birthday of the Church."

As we end the celebration of the Feast of our Lord’s Glorious Resurrection, we begin the great Feast of Pentecost. For Christians Pentecost is the celebration of the Holy Spirit entering the life of the Church. On the day of Pentecost, the Holy Spirit anoints the Apostles as preachers of the Good News of Christ. On this day the Church was born, and the Apostles received the gifts of the Holy Spirit. What are these gifts? St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians tells us that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are numerous and great: "But the fruit of the Spirit is: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.” (Gal. 5:22-23) The Holy Spirit has also descended upon us personally with his gifts in the holy Mysteries (Sacraments) of Chrismation and Baptism; and has anointed us and made us temples of the Holy Spirit. St. Paul reminds us of this great truth, and tells us to live accordingly: "Do you not know that your members are the temple of the Holy Spirit, who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been bought at a great price. Glorify God and bear Him in your body." (I Cor. 6:19-20)

It is the Holy Spirit who is our comforter and who brings and keeps us together in the body of Christ on earth – his Church. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the power to show Christ to everyone we meet. It is the Holy Spirit who lives within each of us from the day of our baptism, making us temples of God. It is the Holy Spirit who gives us the strength to make it through all the conflicts and problems which we meet along the road of life. Of course, there are bad times all around today. But Pentecost, the entrance of the Holy Spirit into our life and into the world is the miracle that lets us live the divine life of Christ now, here on earth.

What have we done with the gifts that were given to us by the Holy Spirit? It varies from person to person. Some have utilized the gift, some have put it on hold, while others have driven the Holy Spirit away by their actions. Everything depends on us and how we exercise our free will.
We pray, even when we are going through difficult times: "Heavenly King, Comforter, Spirit of Truth, everywhere present and filling all things, Treasury of Blessings and Giver of Life, come and dwell within us, cleanse us of all stain, and save our souls, O Gracious One."

Mitred Archpriest John S. Kachuba | GCU Spiritual Advisor