Pentecost
For the Jewish people, Pentecost was a feast of thanksgiving that
marked the conclusion of the grain harvest; it was also a
time to commemorate the giving of the law at Sinai. It was
celebrated 50 days after Passover. For the first Christian
believers, gathered to celebrate this feast in Jerusalem, the
giving of the Holy Spirit reinvented Pentecost. It marked a
new beginning: God would be present among his people
not in words carved in stone, but in a whole new way, living
in their hearts, and speaking through them. Just as the old
feast was a time to celebrate the abundance of God's gifts
by giving back to God the first fruits of the fields, so the new
Pentecost celebrates the incredible abundance of God's
giving, the many gifts of the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost is "the joyful conclusion of the Easter season"
(Proclamation of the Dates of Easter on Epiphany). It ranks
with Christmas, Epiphany, and the Ascension (see
GNLYC,59). It is a day to pull out all the stops, a day for
incense, processions, banners, for creative expression of
the truth we celebrate: the gift of the Holy Spirit has been
given to us. Jesus is here!
Pentecost Events:
Mass of Thanksgiving - First Anniversary of the priesthood of Father Andrew N. Onyemaobi
Come to "Pentecost With The Potter"
Click Here to read about Pentecost in the Bible (Acts 2)
John Angotti's Video Message to St. Thomas
Click the arrow below to stream the audio or click here to download it.
The stained glass window is from St. Thomas the Apostle Church in Bloomfield, NJ.
