Today we commemorate the event when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles during their prayer, resulting in an unprecedented occurrence. The feast of Pentecost signifies a new phase in the institution and growth of the Church. It reveals that Christ remains with His Church until the end of time through the Holy Spirit, who is the promised gift from the Father and the third person of the blessed Trinity. On this day, the Holy Spirit revealed Himself as a unifying force, fostering harmony among those who accept Him.
In the first reading, we observe a contrast to the Babel incident in Genesis 11:1-9, where God confused peoples’ languages to prevent their understanding. However, God brought together people of diverse languages at Pentecost through the Holy Spirit descending upon the disciples. When the disciples spoke their language, the crowd understood them in their respective languages.
In the second reading, St Paul reminds us that a sign that the Holy Spirit dwells within us is our profession of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ, which makes us Christians. While there are various gifts of the Holy Spirit and various services within the Church as community of believers, they all contribute to the common good and the shared proclamation of Jesus.
The gospel reading emphasized that the Holy Spirit empowers us to forgive sins. This power of forgiveness of sins has been entrusted to the Church in the sacrament of Penance. It is essential to remember also that the Holy Spirit in the sacrament of Penance instills within each individual the disposition to forgive one another in our interpersonal relationships.
May the Holy Spirit descend upon us today, uniting all peoples again in the Good News of our Lord Jesus Christ, which is the salvation of our world. May the Holy Spirit enter the hearts of all people, uniting us in one purpose and guiding us toward God and our eternal salvation. Amen