Veni, Sancte Spiritus



Mary and the Apostles on the Day of Pentecost

When Pentecost Day came round, they had all met in one room, when suddenly they heard what sounded like a powerful wind from heaven, the noise of which filled the entire house in which they were sitting; and something appeared to them that seemed like tongues of fire; these separated and came to rest on the head of each of them.  They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.
                                                                                                      Acts of the Apostles 2:1-4

Pentecost falls 7 weeks, or 50 days (hence its name), after Easter, which places it on May 19th this year.  On this day was a major Jewish festival, the Feast of Weeks, which celebrated the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai. 

We know from the Acts of the Apostles (1:13-15) that the Apostles, Mary the mother of Jesus and many others (including women), in all totaling about 120, were present in the upper room on the day of Pentecost. 

With the descent of the Holy Spirit on this occasion, many Christians consider this event the "birthday of the Church."

From the Gospels it's clear that during Jesus' earthly ministry, his followers often misunderstood or were confused by what Jesus told them.  If at moments they (dimly) grasped that he was divine (Luke 5:8; Matthew 16:16; John 6:68), more often than not they didn't seem to get Who he was or what he was about.  That would all change after Pentecost.

To those who charge that the followers of Jesus hid his dead body and made up the story of his resurrection, I answer - for what gain?  Jesus' followers faced hardship, ridicule, persecution and martyrdom.  Why would they make up such a ridiculous story (if false) when there were hundreds of reasons for not doing so?  Especially when they could have saved their lives?

No - the Apostles and other followers experienced something they could barely describe in the Resurrection, Ascension and then Pentecost that changed their lives forever.  After that, they couldn't keep quiet.  (Read the entire Acts of the Apostles for this amazing story.)

When our Lord was going to leave the world and return to his Father, he called his disciples orphans; children, as it were, whom he had been rearing, who were still unable to direct themselves, and who were soon to lose their protector; but he said, "I will not leave you comfortless orphans, I will come to you"; meaning to say, he would come again to them in the power of his Holy Spirit, who should be their present all-sufficient Guide, though he himself was away.  And we know, from the sacred history, that when the Holy Spirit came, they ceased to be the defenceless children they had been before.  He breathed into them a divine life, and gifted them with spiritual manhood, or perfection, as it is called in Scripture.  From that time forth, they put away childish things; they spake, they understood, they thought, as those who had been taught to govern themselves; and who, having "an unction from the Holy One, knew all things".

That such a change was wrought in the Apostles, according to Christ's promise, is evident from comparing their conduct before the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit descended on them, and after.  I need not enlarge on their wonderful firmness and zeal in their Master's cause afterwards.  On the other hand, it is plain from the Gospels, that before the Holy Spirit came down, that is, while Christ was still with them, they were as helpless and ignorant as children; had no clear notion what they ought to seek after, and how; and were carried astray by their accidental feelings and their long-cherished prejudices . . .

Yet the first disciples of Christ . . . put off their vanities once for all, when the Spirit came upon them.
                                                                                          Blessed John Henry Newman
                                                                                          from Parochial and Plain Sermons

Veni, Sancte Spiritus - Come, Holy Spirit