The conferral and reception of the Holy Spirit is not limited to Pentecost. For example: before his Ascension, Jesus "breathed" on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit, whose sins you forgive they are forgiven."
And today there is a conferral of the Spirit with every baptism and every confirmation. In fact, the Holy Spirit is the primary Divine presence in the world and has been since the Ascension of Jesus.
What happened on that Pentecost day when Jesus' mother and Apostles gathered together?
The Church was born. Its human members were Mary and the Apostles. Its divine soul was the Holy Spirit.
Do you know who the Holy Spirit is? Of course you do. The third person of the Blessed Trinity. But let’s carry that definition a step further and consider that the Holy Spirit is that divine person arising from the limitless and timeless potency of The Father’s love for the Son and vice versa.
I suggest to you that the Holy Spirit is the mother lode of perfect unerring love and all the wisdom, truth and goodness that flow from it.
Have you ever noticed that God is always giving? As Creator he gives us life itself, not to mention this incredible universe.
As Saviour he gives us a sure destiny and a certain compass.
As Spirit he offers us the downloads and upgrades we need in order to serve not only ourselves but the common good as well, and this because the Holy Spirit is above all a gift to be shared.
That is why the Apostles rushed fearlessly and joyously into the streets of Jerusalem to share the good news.
What happened in Jerusalem all those years ago still happens throughout the world. Times have changed and you and I are not likely to grab hold of men and women on the street and tell them excitedly about Jesus and the Holy Spirit ...after all we are Canadian!
But if we are "God conscious" and, in accordance with our individual consciences, worship the Lord and receive the Sacraments and / or try to live a good life, then we can be said to be witnesses to what happened on that first Christian Pentecost. And so it is that we ARE people who care ...we smile a lot more than we frown ...we are willing to forgive and we try to forget. Indeed we are blessed as are those who happen to encounter us along the way.
