Pentecost Sunday
June 9, 2019
O Holy Ghost, soul of my soul, I adore Thee. Enlighten me, guide me, strengthen me, console me. I promise to submit myself to all that Thou dost permit to happen to me. Let me only know Thy will.
FROM the Acts of the Apostles 2, 1-25:
And when the days of the Pentecost were accomplished, they were all together in one place: And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a mighty wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them parted tongues as it were of fire, and it sat upon every one of them: And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and they began to speak with divers tongues, according as the Holy Ghost gave them to speak. Now there were dwelling at Jerusalem, Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven.
And when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded in mind, because that every man heard them speak in his own tongue. And they were all amazed, and wondered, saying: Behold, are not all these, that speak, Galileans? And how have we heard, every man our own tongue wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea, and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,[10] Phrygia, and Pamphylia, Egypt, and the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews also, and proselytes, Cretes, and Arabians: we have heard them speak in our own tongues the wonderful works of God. And they were all astonished, and wondered, saying one to another: What meaneth this? But others mocking, said: These men are full of new wine. But Peter standing up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and spoke to them: Ye men of Judea, and all you that dwell in Jerusalem, be this known to you, and with your ears receive my words. For these are not drunk, as you suppose, seeing it is but the third hour of the day:
But this is that which was spoken of by the prophet Joel: And it shall come to pass, in the last days, (saith the Lord,) I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh: and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams. [18] And upon my servants indeed, and upon my handmaids will I pour out in those days of my spirit, and they shall prophesy. [19] And I will shew wonders in the heaven above, and signs on the earth beneath: blood and fire, and vapour of smoke. [20] The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and manifest day of the Lord come.
[21] And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord, shall be saved. [22] Ye men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you, by miracles, and wonders, and signs, which God did by him, in the midst of you, as you also know: [23] This same being delivered up, by the determinate counsel and foreknowledge of God, you by the hands of wicked men have crucified and slain. [24] Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the sorrows of hell, as it was impossible that he should be holden by it. [25] For David saith concerning him: I foresaw the Lord before my face: because he is at my right hand, that I may not be moved.
FROM Instruction for the Great Festival of Pentecost by Leonard Goffine, 1871:
“WHY is this day called Pentecost?
“The word “Pentecost” is taken from the Greek, and signifies fifty, and, as St. Jerome explains it, this day was the last of the fifty days, commencing with Easter, which the early Christians celebrated as days of rejoicing in the resurrection of the Lord.
“Why is this day observed so solemnly?
“Because on this day, the Holy Ghost having descended upon the apostles, the law of grace, of purification from sin, and the sanctification of mankind, was for the first time announced to the world; because on this day the apostles, being filled with the Holy Ghost, commenced the work of purifying and sanctifying mankind, by the baptism of three thousand persons who were converted by the sermon of St. Peter; and because on this day the Church of Jesus stepped visibly as a community into this world, and publicly professed her faith in her crucified Saviour.
“Why did the Holy Ghost come upon the Jews’ Pentecost?
“Because on their Pentecost the Jews celebrated the anniversary of the giving of the law on Mount Sinai, and God would show by sending the Holy Ghost on this day, that the Old Law had ceased and the New Law commenced. God also chose this time, that the Jews who on this day gathered from all countries at Jerusalem to celebrate the Pentecost, might be witnesses of the miracle, and hear the New Law announced by the apostles.
“Why on the vigil of Pentecost is the baptismal font blessed, as on Holy Saturday?
“Because the Holy Ghost is the Author of all sanctity and the Fountain of baptismal grace, and because in the Acts (i. 5.) the descent of the Holy Ghost is itself called a baptism.
“In the Introit of Mass the Church sings in joy at the descent of the Holy Ghost: The Spirit of the Lord hath filled the whole earth, Allel.: and the whole universe hath heard his voice, Allel. Allel. (Wisd. i. 7.) Let God arise, and His enemies be dispersed: let them who hate Him, fly before His face. (Ps. 67.) Glory, &c.
