15 June, Antonio, Cardinal Bacci: Meditations For Each Day

The Feast of Pentecost

1. What kind of men were the Apostles before the miracle of Pentecost? They were rough men of the people, generous and fond of Jesus, perhaps, but ignorant, timid, and ambitious. They were hoping for personal glory in an earthly kingdom. Then came the catastrophe of Calvary. Their simple trust disappeared and left their hearts filled with regret. “Then all the disciples left Him and fled.” (Mt. 26:56) It seemed to them that Jesus had failed, so they deserted Him.

The miracle of the Resurrection restored their faith. But they were still lacking in courage and enterprise.

They gathered together in the Cenacle to pray and shut themselves up there for fear of the Jews. But before He had ascended into Heaven, Jesus had promised that He would send the Holy Spirit to enlighten them concerning His teaching and to give them the courage and ability to spread it throughout the world. Now this promise was fulfilled. On the feast of Pentecost, which was fifty days after that of the Passover, there was a sudden sound from Heaven “as of a violent wind blowing.” Then there appeared “tongues as of fire, which settled upon each of them.” (Acts 2:1)

From the moment when they received the Holy Spirit the Apostles were utterly transformed. Their intellects were filled with a supernatural light, their hearts were overflowing with love, and their wills received the divine strength to withstand human opposition. They left the Cenacle and began to preach openly the doctrine of Jesus Christ. Their words sounded in the ears of each listener as if they were spoken in his own language, so that the light of the Gospel was given to all. Nor did the men show the slightest fear when they had to face the anger of the Synagogue and of the Jewish people. Like peaceful conquerors, without any human weapons but backed by the power of God, they divided the world amongst them so that they might win it for Christ.

The Roman Empire was small to them. They travelled, moreover, to the distant shores of Ethiopia and India where the Eagle of Rome had never found its way.

Surely this is the most extraordinary miracle of history?

The Holy Spirit accomplished that which human armies had never been able to do save in part or for a limited period of time. In this achievement He used the weakest possible human means, namely, twelve poor fishermen.

The earthly Empire of Rome passed away, but the Spiritual domain of Christ still remains, with its centre at Rome, as the only true light, the only unfailing hope, and the only pledge of salvation for individuals and nations.

2. We are still in need of the Holy Spirit today to enlighten and strengthen us. We are essentially so imperfect and so weak. Around us there is a corrupt society, perhaps more depraved and more perilous than that which confronted the Apostles.

A veneer of refinement and civilisation endows modern society with a deceptive lustre, but at its heart there is misery and rottenness much greater than any which our fathers ever knew. This is because in our times progress has become for many an instrument of sin. Today we have to contend with not merely the existence of evil, but with its industrialisation. Evil is bought and sold; it is propagated for profit.

We need the spirit of God to disperse the forces of corruption, to transform us as He transformed the Apostles, and to help us to make others good.

3. Let us pray fervently to the Holy Ghost. Let us pray with the Church: “Send forth thy Spirit and they shall be created, and thou shalt renew the face of the earth.”

Let us recollect ourselves in prayer before the Spirit of God on this day of Pentecost. Let us renew our resolutions and entrust them to Him so that He may help us to carry them out.

"Come, into our hearts, O Holy Spirit, Spirit of truth."