Pentecost (Solemnity)
As the Father has sent me, so I send you. (John 20:21)
Today we celebrate what is perhaps the most valuable gift God has ever given us: the Holy Spirit. Why would we say that? Because it’s the exact same gift that God gave Jesus at his baptism. Remember the scene? Just as Jesus comes out of the water, the heavens part, and the Holy Spirit descends upon him in the form of a dove.
Imagine that—God loves you and treasures you so much that he thinks you should receive the same blessings he has given his own Son. No second-rate gifts for you; only the best will do!
When he poured out the Spirit on Jesus, God also told him, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased” (Luke 3:22). This is another blessing that he shares with you! Day after day, God wants to give you the confidence of knowing that you too are his own beloved child.
But Pentecost is about more than what God has given you. It’s also about how God is sending you. Remember, Jesus told his disciples, “As the Father has sent me, so I send you” (John 20:21). So if the Father sent Jesus out with the Spirit, he is sending you the same way. Not on your own, but equipped with all the Spirit’s grace and power. He’s not expecting you to do all the work by yourself. His Spirit is always with you, offering you his strength, his guidance, and his confidence to help you.
But just what is Jesus sending you out to do? Again, the same thing God sent him to do: to be a witness to his mercy. He is sending you out to show his love by treating people with the same kindness and mercy he has shown to you.
Mercy. Love. Patience. Forbearance. These are the marks of everyone who has been filled with the Spirit. They are the gifts that God wants to fill you with today.
“Father, thank you for the wonderful gift of your Holy Spirit!”
Acts 2:1-11
Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34
1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13
