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Pentecost: On fire for Christ
(Passionate about the faith)
Happy birthday to the Catholic Church!
The Octave of Pentecost
Catholic Christian festival of Pentecost is
celebrated on the seventh Sunday (50 days) after Easter
"White Sunday" or "Whitsun" the next day is called Whit Monday
Anglicans Christian festival of Pentecost is the eighth Sunday after Easter,
which commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Christ's disciples,
In England Pentecost took on some characteristics of Beltane,
which originated from the pagan celebration of Summer's Day.
The word Pentecost is Greek and it means "50th day." Fifty days after Easter Sunday, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and their followers, and the beginning of their Earthly ministry to make disciples of all nations.
Pentecost is also a Jewish holiday, which the Jews use to celebrate the end of Passover. Jews celebrate the gift of the law to Moses at Mt. Sinai on this day. But we, as Catholics celebrate the birth of our Church.
At Pentecost, the Apostles and their followers were gathered in a room. Jews from all over the world were gathered with Peter, the leader of the Apostles and the Eleven. At this time, a great wind blew and a flame appeared as a tongue of fire, which split itself into many individual flames above the heads of all those present. The Holy Spirit came upon these people and each began to speak in tongues. Despite the fact many had no common language, they were perfectly able to understand one another.
Others who were not so blessed, accused those speaking in tongues of being drunk, but Peter arose and addressed the crowd, explaining that it was only 9 o'clock, and that this phenomenon was not intoxication, but rather this was the work of the Holy Spirit, prophesized in the scripture.
Peter then called all those present to be baptized and about three thousand people were baptized that day.
These people were among the first Catholics, and Peter is the first pope of the Catholic Church.
The symbols of Pentecost are the flame, wind, and the dove, which represents the Holy Spirit. The color of Pentecost is red and the priest wears red vestments on this day. Parishioners are also invited to wear red on this day. Red decorations as well as celebrations are appropriate, similar to any other birthday. Special prayers are often said just for Pentecost.
731 On the day of Pentecost when the seven weeks of Easter had come to an end, Christ's Passover is fulfilled in the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, manifested, given, and communicated as a divine person: of his fullness, Christ, the Lord, pours out the Spirit in abundance.122
732 On that day, the Holy Trinity is fully revealed. Since that day, the Kingdom announced by Christ has been open to those who believe in him: in the humility of the flesh and in faith, they already share in the communion of the Holy Trinity. By his coming, which never ceases, the Holy Spirit causes the world to enter into the "last days," the time of the Church, the Kingdom already inherited though not yet consummated.
We have seen the true Light, we have received the heavenly Spirit, we have found the true faith: we adore the indivisible Trinity, who has saved us.123
The Holy Spirit - God's gift
733 "God is Love" 124 and love is his first gift, containing all others. "God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us." 125
734 Because we are dead or at least wounded through sin, the first effect of the gift of love is the forgiveness of our sins. The communion of the Holy Spirit 126 in the Church restores to the baptized the divine likeness lost through sin.
735 He, then, gives us the "pledge" or "first fruits" of our inheritance: the very life of the Holy Trinity, which is to love as "God [has] loved us." 127 This love (the "charity" of 1 Cor 13) is the source of the new life in Christ, made possible because we have received "power" from the Holy Spirit. 128
736 By this power of the Spirit, God's children can bear much fruit. He who has grafted us onto the true vine will make us bear "the fruit of the Spirit: . . . love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, self-control." 129"We live by the Spirit"; the more we renounce ourselves, the more we "walk by the Spirit." 130
Through the Holy Spirit we are restored to paradise, led back to the Kingdom of heaven, and adopted as children, given confidence to call God "Father" and to share in Christ's grace, called children of light and given a share in eternal glory. 131
The Holy Spirit and the Church
737 The mission of Christ and the Holy Spirit is brought to completion in the Church, which is the Body of Christ and the Temple of the Holy Spirit. This joint mission henceforth brings Christ's faithful to share in his communion with the Father in the Holy Spirit. The Spirit prepares men and goes out to them with his grace, in order to draw them to Christ. The Spirit manifests the risen Lord to them, recalls his word to them and opens their minds to the understanding of his Death and Resurrection. He makes present the mystery of Christ, supremely in the Eucharist, in order to reconcile them, to bring them into communion with God, that they may "bear much fruit." 132
738 Thus the Church's mission is not an addition to that of Christ and the Holy Spirit, but is its sacrament: in her whole being and in all her members, the Church is sent to announce, bear witness, make present, and spread the mystery of the communion of the Holy Trinity:
All of us who have received one and the same Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit, are in a sense blended together with one another and with God. For if Christ, together with the Father's and his own Spirit, comes to dwell in each of us, though we are many, still the Spirit is one and undivided. He binds together the spirits of each and every one of us, . . . and makes all appear as one in him. For just as the power of Christ's sacred flesh unites those in whom it dwells into one body, I think that in the same way the one and undivided Spirit of God, who dwells in all, leads all into spiritual unity. 133
739 Because the Holy Spirit is the anointing of Christ, it is Christ who, as the head of the Body, pours out the Spirit among his members to nourish, heal, and organize them in their mutual functions, to give them life, send them to bear witness, and associate them to his self-offering to the Father and to his intercession for the whole world. Through the Church's sacraments, Christ communicates his Holy and sanctifying Spirit to the members of his Body. (This will be the topic of Part Two of the Catechism.)
740 These "mighty works of God," offered to believers in the sacraments of the Church, bear their fruit in the new life in Christ, according to the Spirit. (This will be the topic of Part Three.)
741 "The Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit himself intercedes with sighs too deep for words."134 The Holy Spirit, the artisan of God's works, is the master of prayer. (This will be the topic of Part Four.)
IN BRIEF
742 "Because you are sons, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, crying, 'Abba! Father!"' (Gal 4:6).
743 From the beginning to the end of time, whenever God sends his Son, he always sends his Spirit: their mission is conjoined and inseparable.
744 In the fullness of time the Holy Spirit completes in Mary all the preparations for Christ's coming among the People of God. By the action of the Holy Spirit in her, the Father gives the world Emmanuel "God-with-us"
(Mt 1:23).
745 The Son of God was consecrated as Christ (Messiah) by the anointing of the Holy Spirit at his Incarnation
(cf. Ps 2:6-7).
746 By his Death and his Resurrection, Jesus is constituted in glory as Lord and Christ (cf. Acts 2:36). From his fullness, he poured out the Holy Spirit on the apostles and the Church.
747 The Holy Spirit, whom Christ the head pours out on his members, builds, animates, and sanctifies the Church. She is the sacrament of the Holy Trinity's communion with men.
- The Catechism of the Catholic Church
The Christian holiday of Pentecost, which is celebrated on the seventh Sunday (49 days) after Easter, commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31). Christians believe this event represents the birth of the Church.
In Eastern Christianity, Pentecost can also refer to the entire fifty days of Easter through Pentecost inclusive; hence the book containing the liturgical texts for Paschaltide is called the "Pentecostarion". Since its date depends on the date of Easter, Pentecost is a moveable feast.
The holy day is also called "White Sunday" or "Whitsunday", especially in the United Kingdom, where traditionally the next day, Whit Monday, was also a public holiday (now fixed by statute on the last Monday in May). In Germany Pentecost is denominated of "Pfingsten" and often coincides with scholastic holidays and the beginning of many outdoor and springtime activities, such as festivals and organized outdoor activities by youth organizations. The Monday after Pentecost is a legal holiday in many European nations.
The term Pentecost comes from the Greek Πεντηκοστή (Pentēkostē) meaning fiftieth" (50th). It refers to the festival celebrated on the fiftieth day after Passover, also known as the "Feast of Weeks" in the Septuagint and the "Feast of 50 days" in rabbinic tradition.
The Septuagint uses the term Pentēkostē to refer to the "Feast of Pentecost" only twice, in the deuterocanonical Book of Tobit and 2 Maccabees. In Tobit 2:1 Pentēkostē is used as an alternate name for the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. The NABRE translation of this passage reads: "on our festival of Pentecost, the holy feast of Weeks". The term is also used in 2 Maccabees 12:32.
Location of the first Pentecost
The Cenacle on Mount Zion, claimed to be the location of the Last Supper and Pentecost.
Traditional interpretation holds that the Descent of the Holy Spirit took place in the Upper Room, or Cenacle, while celebrating the day of Pentecost. The Upper Room was mentioned in Luke 22:11-12 where Jesus says:
...say to the owner of the house 'The Teacher asks you, "Where is the guest room, where may I eat the Passover with my disciples?"' He will show you a large room upstairs, already furnished. Make preparations for us there.
The Upper Room is also mentioned in Acts 1:13-14:
When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All of these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
Book:
Other Traditions
May Day Pole
50 days after Easter
Pentecost: On fire for Christ (Passionate about the faith)
The word Pentecost is Greek and it means "50th day," it is also known as the "Feast of Weeks.” Fifty days after Easter Sunday, we celebrate the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and their followers, and the beginning of their earthly ministry to make disciples of all nations, meaning they were witnesses for Christ.
Pentecost is also a Jewish holiday, which the Jewish people use to celebrate the end of Passover. Jews celebrate the gift of the law to Moses at Mt. Sinai on this day, but, Catholics celebrate the birth of the Church. At Pentecost, the Apostles and their followers were gathered in a room with Peter, the leader of the Apostles, and the Eleven disciples. At this time, a great wind blew and a flame appeared as a tongue of fire. The Holy Spirit came upon the people. Peter arose and addressed the crowd about this phenomenon saying this was the work of the Holy Spirit, prophesized in the scripture. Peter then called all those present to be baptized and about three thousand people were baptized that day. These people were among the first Catholics, and Peter was the first pope of the Catholic Church. (Act: 2) (John 20:21-23 21 So Jesus said to them again, “Peace be to you; just as the Father has sent Me, I also send you.” 22 And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained.”)
Parallels: Old and New Testaments
Just as Jesus breathe life into Adam he did as well with each new person of the faith on Pentecost. Something to think about, the types of temples: the Jewish Temple (Exodus/ Leviticus) vs. Jesus Temple (Acts 2)…God’s presence in one vs. in each believer of Christ. Did you see any other parallels with Pentecost?
Prayer
Dear Lord in Heaven, I am so blessed to know that You came to dwell in each of us on Pentecost. Through Your Spirit, I have been set free from the darkness of sin and I am alive with holiness. May I serve You faithfully, in praise, in prayer, and in loving service to others. May I walk as your faithful servant, shining my light, in righteousness. Amen.
Sing
When reading about Pentecost one can see it is about diversity but in the end, it is about unity and love. Nothing is more fitting than this simple children’s song.
Jesus loves the little children, all the children of the world, red and yellow, black & white, they are precious in His sight, Jesus loves the little children of the world. ~ Hymn lyrics by C. Herbert Woolston. Bible reference: Matthew 19:14
Visit
Pentecost was held in the "Cenacle" on upper floor of David's Tomb Compound,
Mount Zion just outside Old City Jerusalem’s walls.
Symbols & Tradition
The symbols of Pentecost are the flame, wind, and the dove, which represents the Holy Spirit. The color of Pentecost is red and the priest wears red vestments on this day. Parishioners are also invited to wear red on this day.
