FEAST OF PENTECOST
‘Receive the Holy Spirit’
The Holy Spirit descends. The final act of the great
divine drama begins. The ship of the Church sets
sail on uncharted waters. The parting promise of
Jesus is fulfilled. From now on the transforming
presence of the Advocate, the Teacher, the
Comforter, the Paraclete, will guide the ship on
sunlit days or on stormy seas. The word ‘Paraclete’
coming from the Greek ‘parakletos’ means ‘one
who walks alongside’ and we must never lose sight
of that reassuring image as we battle the headwinds
of the ‘untroubled irreligion’ of our day. The Holy
Spirit never grows tired. The Holy Spirit never
grows old. The first disciples also experienced fear,
uncertainty and apprehension, but on that earth-
shattering Pentecost Day their hearts were lifted
and their courage restored and what began as a tiny
spark would soon become a raging fire reaching the
ends of the earth. In Baptism and Confirmation
that Spirit of courage was bestowed on us. Every
time we dip our hand in the holy water font we are
reminded of the dignity and power we carry within
us. If only we released the power of ‘the one who
walks alongside’ us and dwells within us, what a
different world it would be, a world aglow with
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, gentleness and
self-control. If only…! Spirit of the living God fall
afresh on us.