Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
When he stepped onto the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica for the first time, Pope Leo XIV greeted the world with the words of the risen Christ: “Peace be with you!” Along with those words, the Holy Father also called the Church to a deeper unity. In these first weeks of his pontificate, we have heard him several times make reference to the gift of unity. His motto, which comes from St. Augustine’s writings, is In illo uno unum, which means “In the One, we are one.” Jesus is the One, and it is in Him that we find true unity.
Today’s solemnity of Pentecost is often called the Church’s birthday, for on this day, the Apostles go out for the first time and proclaim the Gospel. It is on this day that people from every nation hear the Gospel proclaimed in their own language, and from this diversity of backgrounds, find themselves uniting in one common faith. Ven. Patrick Peyton, in a meditation on the third Glorious Mystery of the Rosary, the Descent of the Holy Spirit on Pentecost, writes: On Pentecost, the Church’s birthday, three thousand candles were lit – three thousand souls enlightened with the grace of faith. From the simple eloquence of the Apostle Peter went forth the power of God, and those who had that morning been citizens of a dozen nations, and strangers to one another, were now ‘one in Christ.’ Their sudden, spontaneous confession that a crucified Nazarene was God and Savior was a stupendous miracle of God’s grace, as well as a testimonial to our inviolable free will. The grace of Pentecost was offered to many, but it bore fruit only in those who opened their hearts to it.”
Since the birthday of the Church, the Holy Spirit continues to be poured out on the world. In God’s providential design, the Gospel has been proclaimed on every continent – yes, Mass has even been celebrated in Antarctica! As the Gospel is proclaimed and Christians bear witness to Jesus Christ in every age, we can see the Holy Spirit poured out again and again. In a special way, the Church commemorates this outpouring of the Holy Spirit with the feast of Pentecost. As we look at this history, we will also see, undeniably, that there are many souls that have not accepted this gift and grace. We will see the scandal of division, especially within the Christian family. Fr. Peyton’s words remind us that in order for us to receive the outpouring of the Holy Spirit, we need to open our hearts more and more.
As we seek today to open our hearts to the power of the Holy Spirit and as we open our minds to receive the Gospel message, we will be reminded that the message is not just words printed on a page but an Incarnate Word, the Divine Son of God. The Risen Son of God came to the Apostles and gave them the gift of peace. He comes to us and offers us the same gift. He sends forth the Holy Spirit so that, confirmed in the gift of His peace, we might find our unity in the profession of the faith. Pope Leo reminds us that true unity can only be unity in faith. So let us ask the Holy Spirit to confirm us in faith, to grant us peace, and to bind us together in unity. The Pentecost Sequence prays that the Holy Spirit would “bend the stubborn heart and will.” Yes, come Holy Spirit, and open my heart and the hearts of all, so that the grace you offer can bear fruit, so that we can be truly one in the One, Jesus Christ. Amen.
Peace,
Fr. Sam
