Pentecost
According to Wycliffe Global Alliance, as of September 2023, the Bible has been translated into 736 languages; with the New Testament translated into an additional 1,658 languages. That’s a lot of languages all proclaiming the same gospel, the same message of love and salvation of our Lord that the Apostles started to boldly proclaim at Pentecost.
I keep imagining that scene: The Apostles, filled with the Holy Spirit, started boldly preaching in foreign tongues, and the devout men and women from “every nation under heaven” heard them in their own native language – maybe this is where Gene Roddenberry got the idea for the ‘universal translator’ in the Star Trek series. But, imagine the power of the Holy Spirit, giving voice so that all may hear, all may understand. Hearing the Apostles in their native language made people curious. In this case, curiosity didn’t kill the cat. Instead, it gave life to many. From that curiosity, many came to faith – “and there were added that day about three thousand souls” (Acts 2:41).
Referring to the Great Commission (Matthew 28:19-20) Pope Francis, in Evangelii Gaudium (EG) 19, reminds us that “the risen Christ sent his followers to preach the Gospel in every time and place, so that faith in him might spread to every corner of the earth.” The promotion for the Parish Alpha programme teased with these two questions – “Why am I here?”, “What’s my purpose?”. Answering our Lord’s call to “Go and make believers of every nation” might just be the answer we seek. Pope Francis said that “A renewal of preaching can offer believers, as well as the lukewarm and the non-practising, new joy in the faith and fruitfulness in the work of evangelisation.” (EG 11). The Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles on Pentecost. We have received the same Holy Spirit on our baptism. In the Great Commission our Lord promised to be with us always, to the end of the age. What’s stopping us?
A blessed Pentecost Sunday to all.
Randy Reyes
