Signs of the Times  

 

    "And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign tongues...as the Holy  Spirit prompted them to speak..."

     "And when the day of Pentecost were drawing to a close, they were all together in one place.  And suddenly there came a sound from heaven, as of a violent wind coming, and it filled the whole house where they were sitting.  And there appeared to them parted tongues as of fire, which settled upon each of them.  And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in foreign tongues, even as the Holy Spirit prompted them to speak."                                                                         Acts 2:1-4


       PENTECOST (Whitsunday), with Christmas and Easter, rank among the great feasts of Christianity.  It commemorates not only the descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and Disciples, but also the fruits and effects of that event: the completion of the work of redemption, the fullness of grace for the Church and its children, and the gift of faith for all nations. 
        After Jesus had ascended to heaven from Mt. Olivet, the apostles and disciples returned to the Holy City.  They remained together in the Upper Room or Cenacle, the place where Jesus  had appeared to them--about 120 persons were assembled there.  They chose Matthias as an apostle in place of the traitorous Judas; they prayed and waited for the Paraclete.  Ten days passed, it was Sunday, the seventh Sunday after the Resurrection.  As they were praying fervently, the Holy Spirit descended upon them. 
          Note how all the great theophanies in Christ's life occurred during the course of prayer.  After His baptism, for instance, when Jesus was praying, the heavens opened and the Holy Spirit descended in the form of a dove; likewise, it was during prayer at night that the Transfiguration took place on Tabor.  Also, when Jesus was praying in the agony in the garden as well as when He went to the desert and Satan sorely tempted Him there. The Holy Spirit sent angels of consolation to His side.  Surely, too, it was while Mary was praying that Gabriel delivered his message and the Holy Spirit overshadowed her.  Pentecost follows this precedent of grace.  The small community of Christians had prepared themselves through prayer for the coming of the Paraclete,  The same is true at Mass everyday, through prayer we ready our souls for the advent of the Spirit.
       The descent upon the apostles was internal and invisible in nature, although accompanied by certain outward phenomena.  There came a mighty roar, like the onrush of a violent wind.  It came suddenly from heaven, but unlike earthly storms that strike from without, this one penetrated and filled the room where the disciples were gathered.  Therefore, it was not a natural wind, it was a miracle peculiar to the occasion.  A second visible sign consisted in tongues of fire that descended upon each one present.  These fiery tongues gave visible evidence that the Holy Spirit descended upon them.  There was still another eternal manifestation of the Holy Spirit in that they were able to speak in various languages and still understand each other.  At each Mass particularly at Holy Communion, the power of the Holy Spirit will come down upon us, fiery tongues will not be seen, but invisible tongues of fire will not be absent.

COLLECT:  "Almighty and ever-living God, you fulfilled the Easter promise by sending us your Holy Spirit.  May that Spirit unite the races and nations on earth to proclaim your glory.  Grant this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever.  Amen."