John 20: 19-23
Receive the Holy Spirit
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.
21 Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.” 22 And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”
Acts 2: 1-11
The Coming of the Holy Spirit
2 When the Day of Pentecost had fully come, they were all [a]with one accord in one place. 2 And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3 Then there appeared to them [b]divided tongues, as of fire, and one sat upon each of them. 4 And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.
The Crowd’s Response
5 And there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under heaven. 6 And when this sound occurred, the multitude came together, and were confused, because everyone heard them speak in his own language. 7 Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Look, are not all these who speak Galileans? 8 And how is it that we hear, each in our own [c]language in which we were born? 9 Parthians and Medes and Elamites, those dwelling in Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, 10 Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya adjoining Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, 11 Cretans and [d]Arabs—we hear them speaking in our own tongues the wonderful works of God.”
Pentecost, 50 days after the Resurrection, is often called "the Birthday of the Church" for a "new power" was unleashed as the once unsure and even cowering disciples flung open the doors and powerfully gave witness to the transformation that had just taken place in them and which would take them and their followers to the ends of the earth to spread the Good News Jesus commissioned them to preach.2000 years later after 20 centuries of "ups and downs", to say the least, this same Spirit is at work, and despite countless obstacles, continues to transform us into the persons we were created to be.
Tomorrow we celebrate the Feast of St. Marcellin, whose religious teaching Order, the Marist Brothers continues this work with the added dimension of the incorporation of "Lay Marists", or ":Marists of Champagnat" into the Marist Fold. Today and tomorrow across the world, hundreds of lay people will commit themselves to the work of making Jesus known and loved begun by St. Marcellin in 1817., Thus Pentecost takes on an added meaning for Marists as we accept our commission to bring others to Jesus through Mary. A day of great joy and of great power. Let us humbly give thanks and accept our Spirit-given task of bringing the Good News to as many as we can.
Bro. Rene
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