Week beginning: 24th May, 2026.
This Sunday, we celebrate Pentecost which means in Greek “fiftieth”. For the Jews, Pentecost was originally a harvest festival (Exodus 23:16) to commemorate the completion of the grain harvest. Now in the Christian Church, Pentecost too is a harvest feast; but this time it is an abundant harvest of souls.
On that first Pentecost, which marked the birth of the Church, through the preaching of the Apostles to each in his own language, hundreds were won over to faith in Jesus Christ. Year in year out all over the world many, many more are brought to faith in Christ by the witness and preaching of Christians. The outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the apostles wiped away any trace of sin, just as it occurs in the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.
So, for us Christians, we are connected through faith with those Apostles, as in the first reading, and we experience the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on us in Baptism and Confirmation. Jesus comes to us each day. We live our entire Christian lives in the Spirit. He is ever present to us, he constantly prompts us and impels us forwards in our life of faith. The Holy Spirit, moreover, draws us together in unity—as a parish we witness to what Christ has achieved but we do so as one body united in faith, love and worship.
The Holy Spirit also keeps his Church holy—we are constantly cleansed and forgiven through the celebration of the sacraments. And the Holy Spirit keeps us faithful—throughout the centuries the Church is kept free from error in matters of faith, despite all the new ideas and philosophies, the Holy Spirit guides its course in fidelity to the Gospel.
Let us ask the Holy Spirit to give us courage to be living witnesses of Christ’s peace, mercy, and truth in our daily life.
Please find the link to this week’s Newsletter below:
