What happened on Pentecost?
The Holy Spirit descended upon the Church! Before Pentecost, the followers of Jesus were scared and hiding in an upper room. But when the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, they received courage and strength because the Holy Spirit filled them with power and they could not remain silent about the love of God and the gift of salvation He freely offers. They went into the street and proclaimed Jesus. Many believed, joined, and the Catholic Church continued to grow from this pentecostal experience.
What does Pentecost mean for us today?
We can experience the Holy Spirit and be changed into a strong Christian too. We can do great things with God too. Every Christian has a role and we have to work together. By seeing what the Holy Spirit did in the lives of the early Christians, we can see what God can do in our lives because God is the same, "yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Why do we remember Pentecost? It's an opportunity to ask each other: have you received your personal Pentecost? Have you experienced the Holy Spirit? Do you know there is something more to life, but need companionship and fellowship with people who, like you, are seeking and experiencing a vibrant life with God?
Pope Benedict XVI said on May 11, 2008, "Today I would like to extend this invitation to everyone: Let us rediscover, dear brothers and sisters, the beauty of being baptized in the Holy Spirit; let us be aware again of our baptism and of our confirmation, sources of grace that are always present."
Following the Pope's example, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal invites you to come and learn more about having a close friendship with the Holy Spirit; a personal Pentecost. Get to know the Holy Spirit and He will change your life!
Here is what happened at this great event on the day of Pentecost, which the Catholic Church celebrates every year, recorded in the Bible in Acts 2:1-11:
The Pentecost Story
From Acts 2:1-11
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.”
The Holy Spirit descended upon the Church! Before Pentecost, the followers of Jesus were scared and hiding in an upper room. But when the Holy Spirit came on Pentecost, they received courage and strength because the Holy Spirit filled them with power and they could not remain silent about the love of God and the gift of salvation He freely offers. They went into the street and proclaimed Jesus. Many believed, joined, and the Catholic Church continued to grow from this pentecostal experience.
What does Pentecost mean for us today?
We can experience the Holy Spirit and be changed into a strong Christian too. We can do great things with God too. Every Christian has a role and we have to work together. By seeing what the Holy Spirit did in the lives of the early Christians, we can see what God can do in our lives because God is the same, "yesterday, today, and forever" (Hebrews 13:8). Why do we remember Pentecost? It's an opportunity to ask each other: have you received your personal Pentecost? Have you experienced the Holy Spirit? Do you know there is something more to life, but need companionship and fellowship with people who, like you, are seeking and experiencing a vibrant life with God?
Pope Benedict XVI said on May 11, 2008, "Today I would like to extend this invitation to everyone: Let us rediscover, dear brothers and sisters, the beauty of being baptized in the Holy Spirit; let us be aware again of our baptism and of our confirmation, sources of grace that are always present."
Following the Pope's example, the Catholic Charismatic Renewal invites you to come and learn more about having a close friendship with the Holy Spirit; a personal Pentecost. Get to know the Holy Spirit and He will change your life!
Here is what happened at this great event on the day of Pentecost, which the Catholic Church celebrates every year, recorded in the Bible in Acts 2:1-11:
The Pentecost Story
From Acts 2:1-11
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
they were all in one place together.
And suddenly there came from the sky
a noise like a strong driving wind,
and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
which parted and came to rest on each one of them.
And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit
and began to speak in different tongues,
as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.”
Light coming in St. Peter's Basilica in Rome, Italy