Following the Lord’s Ascension into heaven, the Apostles were gathered once again in the Upper Room where the Lord had instituted both the Eucharist and the Priesthood at the Last Supper. It was also the place where He first appeared to them following the Resurrection. Tradition tells us that the Apostles were not alone on this particular day and that Mary, the Mother of the Lord, was with them. Jerusalem was filled with Jews who had come to the holy city for the feast of Pentecost, a feast celebrating the wheat harvest that was celebrated seven weeks and one day (50 days) following Passover. That particular day was a day that would forever change the face of the earth.
Before His Ascension, the Lord promised the Apostles that He would send a paraclete, an advocate to be with them always until He returned in glory. It was precisely this advocate for whom the Apostles waited in the Upper Room, when on that Pentecost day, the Lord Jesus fulfilled His promise and the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles and Mary, appearing as tongues of fire. It was precisely in this moment that the Good News, the Gospel of Jesus Christ, was preparing to break forth into the greater world.
From the Upper Room, the Apostles went forth as new men, as new creations. The grace of the Holy Spirit had forever changed them, transforming their fear and trepidation into courage and zeal. With this gift of the Holy Spirit, they went out and fulfilled the Lord’s command to preach the forgiveness of sins, beginning first in Jerusalem. Acts of the Apostles recounts that some 3,000 people that very day heard the preaching of the Apostles, believed, were baptized, and thus the Church was born. This testimony from the Scriptures is why Pentecost is called the birthday of the Church.
Today, we, the living stones of the Church, claimed by Christ in baptism and anointed with the Holy Spirit through Confirmation, are called to carry on this mission given to the Apostles some 2,000 years ago. We who profess the name of Christ are His disciples because we have come to believe in Him, but our discipleship must be transformed into apostleship. The word apostle means “one who is sent.” The Apostles were the first to be sent and we are called to continue their mission. On this Pentecost Sunday and always, let us open our hearts to the gift of the Holy Spirit who continues to guide the Church. Let us cooperate with the grace of the Spirit that seeks to make us witnesses of the crucified and risen Lord so that through our lives others may come to know and believe in the Lord Jesus and accept His free gift of salvation.
Annual Priests’ Retreat
Every priest is required by the Church’s canon law to make a retreat every year. Most times I make my retreat privately at Saint Meinrad Archabbey in southern Indiana but this year I will be making the annual diocesan retreat with other priests from our diocese over in Eureka, Missouri. I will be gone from Sunday night through Friday night. Please know of my prayers for you and your intentions during this time. Father Clint will be here at CTK should you be in need of anything.
Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead,
Father Chris House