May 24 | Pentecost

The feast of Pentecost –  the birthday of the Catholic Church – commemorates the descent of the Holy Spirit upon Our Lady and the apostles. It is one of the Church’s movable feasts that always occurs 50 days after Easter, and marks the conclusion of the Easter season. 

As recorded in Scripture in the Acts of the Apostles, the first Pentecost happened 50 days after Christ’s Resurrection. When Jesus ascended into heaven, He told the apostles to go and await the Holy Spirit. His disciples gathered together with the Blessed Virgin Mary in the upper room. “All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer, together with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brethren.” (Acts 2:1-41)

Then a strong driving wind filled the space, and tongues of fire descended onto each of the disciple's heads. They burst from the upper room and began to preach the gospel, speaking in tongues which all could miraculously understand. Because of the strangeness of the event and the enthusiasm of the disciples, people were concerned that the disciples may have been drunk. But Peter addressed the gathering crowd outside, declaring that they were filled with the Holy Spirit. 

Peter preached the truth of Jesus Christ, who had lived and died in the midst of the people who stood there, gathered for the Jewish feast. He witnessed to them that Christ had risen from the dead, trampling over death by death and remitting the sins of the world. That day, the preaching of the disciples moved by the Spirit inspired 3,000 people to be baptized into the brand-new Catholic Church.

The courage of the apostles was strengthened, and they went out to preach the gospel to all the nations as Jesus commanded. 

The Church we know today is a fruit and a continuation of those first flames. The Holy Spirit has never abandoned his Church and continues to inspire holy and brave men everywhere to preach the truth of Christ.