The Sequence for Pentecost contains a series of wonderful images that tersely present a deep resource for reflection on this glorious day, the birthday of the Church. Pentecost is important every year, but particularly this year when so many world events more than ever could lead to discouragement and despair. A recent Pew Survey, for example, revealed a dramatic increase in people embracing atheism as well as a frightening decline in followers of Jesus, be they non-Catholic or Catholic. Our emptying churches and closing parishes all around us verify the declining numbers.
Yet we read today of the Apostles throwing open the doors of the upper room, speaking in languages understood by the multitude, and converting 3,000. Their audience was Jewish and had little or no knowledge of Jesus, yet through the grace of the Holy Spirit and the power of Peter's words, they embraced him.
Pentecost assures us that this same power can "melt the frozen and warm the chill" in today's world just as it did at the very beginning. It begins with us, Come Holy Spirit, warm our hearts, light in them the fire that will melt our frozen hesitations and fears, and enable to more through example than word, to melt the frozen hearts of our colleagues, our unchurched, our "in name only" Christians. Let's take the fire of the Holy Spirit and "Go Warm the World."
Bro. Rene
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