This weekend we celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. 

Pentecost is one of the great feasts. This holy celebration holds great significance among the different Christian denominations. 

Pentecost celebrates the fullness of the Spirit and the great gathering of nations. It brings the Easter season to its conclusion. We commemorate the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and other followers of Jesus Christ while they were in Jerusalem celebrating the Feast of Weeks, as described in the Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2:1–31).

In John's account of the first Pentecost the primary gift Jesus' Spirit bestows on the disciples is peace. Christ’s gift of peace is more robust than just peace and quiet. Peace is like all the best things in life: an attitude of mind and a habit born of consistently making good choices. Pentecost celebrates the power of the Holy Spirit coming upon the disciples and energising them to set about their mission of continuing the ministry of Jesus. The gospel reading is one of the post-resurrection appearances by Jesus when he breathed the Holy Spirit upon the disciples.

Jesus had already imbued the disciples with the Spirit but, as so often throughout his ministry, they were a bit slow to catch on to the significance of what he had done. It seems that they needed a more tangible experience to jolt them into action and Acts records the very physical experience of the Spirit entering their midst as a roaring wind before settling upon them as tongues of flame. Jesus had breathed the Spirit upon them but it took the roaring wind to make a real impression on the disciples. There are frequent references in the gospels to Jesus being ‘filled with the Spirit’. It is this Spirit with which he was filled that he breathed upon his disciples; it is that same Spirit that we receive sacramentally in Confirmation.

In the Gospel for this Pentecost, forgiveness is the second gift Jesus bequeaths the disciples. If we really want to cultivate peace and quiet in our lives we have to confront the things we are trying to avoid or deny. Often these things hinge on painful memories or events where we were destructive toward others or they were toward us. Unless we forgive ourselves or forgive them, our busyness will ensure that we have enough clamour and activity to stay away from ugly memories. Unfortunately it usually follows that when we are so busy not dealing with the sins of our past, peace and quiet stay well away from us as well. 

Let us pray that we choose Jesus as our first option this Pentecost and forgive as generously as we can those who have tried to crucify us. We might have to forgive ourselves as well. And then, like Jesus, with old wounds exposed, we can rejoice that the Spirit has breathed into us the greatest gift of all: the peace and quiet we most crave and need. 

Adapted from Fr Richard Leonard SJ