Reflection for Pentecost Sunday- 2020

Written on: May 28, 2020

First Reading: Acts 2: 1-11
Second Reading: 1Corinthians 12: 3b-7, 12-13
Gospel: John 20: 19-23

Pentecost

As we look out at the trees and flowers, there is a newness of creation everywhere.  Today there is a newness, completion to the Liturgical year as we celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit. There are so many ways to meditate on this special feast – from consideration of the meaning of the name itself to the way the apostles approached this feast. Perhaps we could start with the words of the Sequence:

Come, Holy Spirit, come!
And from your celestial home
Shed a ray of light divine!

It was in that upper room that Jesus appeared to His apostles on Easter and today it is the Holy Spirit that rests on each person as a invisible tongue of fire, giving each one that special gift to speak – live.  On this special day let each one of us be quiet, open to the Spirit at this time as with the apostles when “suddenly there comes a noise like a strong driving wind, that fills the entire house. Then appear tongues of fire that come to rest on each one so that they are filled with the Holy Spirit.”

Wisdom-  exercise good judgment

Understanding-  have insight and discern meaning

Counsel-  inform, guide, warn, encourage.

Fortitude-  an unwavering commitment to God

Knowledge-  acquire information – use it for constructive purposes.

Fear of the Lord-  awe, reverence, and respect for God.

Piety-  live a decent life, devoted to God, obedient to His will.

Which tongue of fire does the Holy Spirit have for each of us at this time?

Come Holy Spirit,
        fill the hearts of your faithful,
                 kindle in them the fire of your love.
                         send forth your Spirit,
                                  they shall be created.
                                          You shall renew the face of the earth.

Sr. Jane O’Connor, GNSH spent most of her time in active ministry primarily in education, beginning with the “little ones” in second grade and finishing in high school, teaching science.  Sister Jane says, “Each grade level and each child was challenging and precious in their own way, though different.”  After retiring from teaching, Sister Jane worked with the homeless, learning about their problems and needs,  and  finding ways to help them.  She feels she is now in “another phase of life; being taken care of and learning of the gifts and needs of “senior citizens.”

Feature photo courtesy of Mateus Campos Felipe/Unsplash

This entry was posted in From our Sisters and tagged: Apostles, counsel, creation, Easter, Fear of the Lord, feast, fire, fortitude, Holy Spirit, Jesus, knowledge, Liturgical Year, newness, Pentecost, piety, Sequence, speak, tongue of fire, Understanding, upper room, wisdom