The Solemnity of Pentecost concludes the fifty days of the Easter Season. While faithful Jews celebrate the feast of Pentecost to show their gratitude for the gift of the Mosaic Law, Christians are thankful for the outpouring of God’s love manifested in the descent of the Holy Spirit when the Church was born.
Before Jesus sent His apostles to continue His mission, He had to remove a paralyzing fear from their midst. Thus, He addressed them once more with the reassuring words: “Peace be with you”. After receiving the Holy Spirit, they joyfully left the upper room to proclaim the Gospel, instruct and baptize the catechumens, and reconcile sinners to God.
The Sacrament of Confirmation empowers us to participate actively in spreading the Good News (initiated by Christ and continued by the Apostles) in our surroundings in 2024 and beyond. Let us pray for God’s blessing on the Confirmandi (candidates for Confirmation) in our parishes, that they will receive the sacrament with zeal and courage. The separate tongues of fire, which rested on each of the Apostles, indicate that everyone should work for the common good according to the specific talents bestowed on him/her.
– Fr. Toni Baranowski SJ