The Breath of God and the Fire of Our Mission

As May gives way to June, the Church calendar brings us to one of its most vibrant and pivotal celebrations: Pentecost. Occurring this year on June 8th, Pentecost isn’t just a historical commemoration; it’s an ongoing reality, the very breath and fire that animates our faith and propels us into the world.

Often called the “birthday of the Church,” Pentecost marks the moment when the Holy Spirit, promised by Jesus, descended upon the apostles and Mary in the Upper Room. It was a moment of profound transformation. Fear gave way to courage, confusion to clarity, and a small group of disciples was empowered to share the Good News with people from every nation. The symbols of Pentecost – a mighty wind and tongues of fire – speak of an irresistible divine power, a purifying presence, and an illuminating truth.

The wind signifies the ruach, the breath of God that hovered over creation, that gave life to Adam, and that now breathes new life into the Church. It’s the unseen but palpable force that moves us, guides us, and sustains us. The fire represents the divine presence, passion, and purification. It’s the fire of God’s love that burns away our impurities and ignites our hearts with zeal for His mission.

For us as Passionists, and indeed for all Christians, Pentecost holds a particularly deep resonance. St. Paul of the Cross, our founder, had a profound devotion to the Passion of Jesus. But the Passion is not an end in itself; it leads to the Resurrection and the sending of the Spirit. It is the Holy Spirit who enables us to understand the depth of Christ’s suffering love and empowers us to bear witness to it in our lives. The fire of Pentecost is the same fire of love that burned in the Heart of Jesus as He gave Himself for us on the Cross.

This Pentecost, and indeed as we prepare for our Pentecost Retreat starting on June 13th, we are invited to reflect on how the Holy Spirit is active in our own lives.

• Where do we feel the “wind” of the Spirit guiding us, perhaps in unexpected directions?
• Where do we see the “fire” of the Spirit, igniting passion for justice, compassion, or a deeper prayer life?
• How are we using the gifts the Spirit has given us – gifts of wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord – to build up the Body of Christ?

Pentecost reminds us that faith is not static. It’s a dynamic, Spirit-led journey. It calls us out of our own “Upper Rooms” of comfort or fear and sends us out, just as the apostles were sent, to share the love and mercy of God with a world that desperately needs it. It challenges us to overcome barriers, to speak a language of love that all can understand, and to be “pilgrims of hope” in a world often marked by division.