When Jesus realized that it was time for him to return to His Father from this world, he told his disciples at the last supper: “I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counsellor, to be with you forever” (Jn 14: 16). Jesus fulfilled this promise by sending down the Holy Spirit upon the disciples who were praying together with Many
in the upper room. The Church is celebrating this great event on the feast of Pentecost.

On the Pentecost day the disciples were filled with the Holy Spirit. Till that day the disciples were so weak in faith and afraid that they were not able to confess their faith in Jesus. But when they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they became so courageous that after the very first speech of Peter, more than three thousand people were baptized.

The Spirit of the Lord leads us to unity. On the day of Pentecost, each one of the multitude of people gathered in Jerusalem heard the disciples of Jesus preaching the word of God in his own language (Acts 2: 6). The Acts of the Apostles testify that “the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of
the things which he possessed was his own, but they had everything in common” (Acts 4: 32). The depth of faith and courage they showed even when they were tortured, deeply touched even their enemies.

We are able to receive the power of the Holy Spirit only when we are in communion with the Church.
We received the Holy Spirit in baptism and we were anointed by the Spirit in the sacrament of confirmation. Jesus told his disciples: “When the Holy Spirit comes, he will convince the world of sin and of righteousness and of judgement” (Jn 16: 8). In this conviction, just like the Apostles, who boldly witnessed Jesus with the power of the
Holy Spirit, let us also bear witness to Jesus in the present world through a virtuous life

Fr Joseph Mundolickal CST