Pentecost is a feast of the Holy Spirit. In this article, I would like to represent why Pentecost is an important celebration for Christians.
The work of the Holy Spirit was especially evident on the first feast of Pentecost when the apostles were gathered together with Mary (the mother of Jesus).
Easter, the fiftieth day after Easter, marks the end of Easter.
Why Pentecost Is an Important Celebration for Christians
The Bible says that on the fiftieth day after Easter – on Pentecost morning – the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples in the form of tongues “like flames” (Acts 2: 3-4). The disciples, filled with the Holy Spirit, spoke and understood different languages.
The liturgical color at Pentecost is red. Red reminds us of the flames of tongues in which the Holy Spirit descended at the first Pentecost.
Proposed Pentecost
There are three “big holidays” in the Christian calendar: Christmas, Easter, and Pentecost. Although Pentecost is of great importance for our humanization and the community’s life, this holiday is becoming less and less close to us. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the Church did not keep special rites for Pentecost. Christmas and Easter are deeply imprinted in the human soul because of their rituals. That is why Anselm Gruen proposes the Pentecost rite – a proposal.
Pentecost Rite
Although Pentecost is so important for our humanization and for the community’s life, this holiday is less and less close to us. Perhaps this is due to the fact that the Church did not keep special rites for Pentecost. Christmas and Easter are deeply imprinted in the human soul because of their rituals. For many, Pentecost is like an ordinary Sunday.
It would be a good Pentecost custom to prepare leaflets for the Pentecost Mass, on which you would write the individual gifts of the Holy Spirit. After communion, anyone could pull out a slip; the gift intended for him should then try to live all year round. In doing so, we need not limit ourselves to the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit or the charisms listed by Paul in 1 Cor. All the abilities God gives us are gifts of the Holy Spirit: the gift of reconciliation, confidence, healing, guidance, peace, attention, trust, openness, comfort, understanding, understanding… we felt what all this triggered in them:
• Many wondered why they pulled this particular ticket.
• Some did not believe they had the gift to live.
• Some were also frightened by this – but we must be aware that the gift is not a requirement.
How to Understand Gifts?
Some man who pulled the gift of healing wondered how to understand this. That doesn’t mean he will heal my or other wounds now. This gift is supposed to remind him that healing power can come from everyone, that we can encourage others with the word, and that we can heal many wounds with our serenity. This gift can also sharpen our awareness that healing is happening to us.
Each of us has more abilities than we usually attribute to ourselves. The gift we “choose” is not a coincidence. It is always a challenge to more consciously accept the possibility that I am capable of precisely what the “chosen” gift expects of me. One woman who pulled the gift of leadership was terrified. She didn’t know how to handle it. But after a short conversation, she suddenly showed her joy that, on some occasions, she would take the initiative herself and set about solving an unsolvable problem in her kinship.
Thus, these Pentecostal gifts, which we inadvertently chose, aroused new abilities in us. This is a perfect custom as we can transfer what we celebrate for Pentecost into our concrete life.
(Taken from: Anselm Grün)