Pentecost Sunday
The ministry of Jesus begins with the coming of the Spirit at his baptism, and so the ministry of the Church begins with the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. The task of the Church is a continuation of the mission of Jesus, to bring about God’s kingdom by bringing healing, love, and joy through the message of the Risen Christ.
The Gospel from John is very deliberately set ‘in the evening of the first day of the week’ – that is Easter Day – and Jesus says to the disciples: ‘receive the Holy Spirit’. Luke sets the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost – that is 50 days after Passover – much later. That makes us realise that the Easter events are not chronological but a seamless whole, where the Resurrection of Jesus and the outpouring of the Spirit are all part of the same action of God, and that action is always about moving the Good News out from behind closed doors, and into the world.
The scriptures now enter the present time. Where the Church was 2000 years ago is where we are now – people blessed with the Holy Spirit, called to change ourselves and our world.
Each era has its own challenges. The present one is the state of our own planet. This year we celebrate the eighth anniversary of Pope Francis’ encyclical Laudato Si’. It is a magnificent document, written in a simple, personal way by Pope Francis, calling not just Catholics but everyone to look after our common home.
Here is a link and a video about Laudato Si week. I hope you enjoy it.
Fr Ron
Parish Moderator
