Today we celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit upon the Disciples and the birthday of the Church. Ten days have passed since Jesus returned to our Father, and the Disciples are still unsure about what to do. Jesus told them to remain in Jerusalem, the very place where He was murdered by the Jewish authorities, and it’s easy to understand their fear and uncertainty. Their leader has left them with the promise that something special will occur, but they’re afraid to even go outside for fear they may be arrested themselves. So, they wait, inside behind locked doors, for something they don’t understand.
Then everything changed! They heard a strong wind, and tongues of fire came to rest on them. They were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different languages about the “mighty acts of God”. They unlocked the doors and went outside, for a great multitude heard them speaking, each in their own language. The most striking change is the change in the Disciples themselves; they went from being timid and afraid to boldly proclaiming the Gospel with no concern for themselves.
In the second reading, St. Paul tells us that the Spirit manifests Himself differently to everyone, according to that person’s individual role in bringing God’s plan to fruition. Each of us has a calling, and we’ve been gifted with the same Spirit that caused such a striking change in the first Disciples. May our encounters with the Spirit embolden and strengthen us to live out whatever God has planned for us to accomplish.