Pentecost

"And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. And there were dwelling at Jerusalem Jews, devout men, out of every nation under heaven. Now when this was noised abroad, the multitude came together, and were confounded, because that every man heard them speak in his own language. And they were all amazed and marvelled, saying one to another, Behold, are not all these which speak Galilaeans? And how hear we every man in our own tongue, wherein we were born? Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia, Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes, Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God." (Acts 2:1-11)

 

"they were all filled with the Holy Spirit" +

 

How?

Prayer and expectant faith in unity.

And, being assembled together with them, commanded them that they should not depart from Jerusalem, but wait for the promise of the Father, which, saith he, ye have heard of me. Acts 1:4,1, And the saying pleased the whole multitude: and they chose Stephen, a man full of faith and of the Holy Ghost, and Philip, and Prochorus, and Nicanor, and Timon, and Parmenas, and Nicolas a proselyte of Antioch: Acts 6:5  For he was a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith: and much people was added unto the Lord. Acts 11:24.

Ask!

If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him? Luke 11:13.

 

Why?

 

Without the power of the Spirit, we cannot do God's works, we cannot be his mouth, his hands, his feet in this world and so function as the body of Christ.

And when Peter saw it, he answered unto the people, Ye men of Israel, why marvel ye at this? or why look ye so earnestly on us, as though by our own power or holiness we had made this man to walk? Acts 3:12. But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will. For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ.  For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12:11-13.

 

What?

If we do not see the flames or hear the rushing wind, what and where will this experience be for us?

 

The last verse previously quoted shows us the sacraments are one place. All of these invoke (call upon) the Spirit of God. As we receive them with expectant faith, we can find abundant grace. Even the ones long past that cannot be repeated may be made more effective in the present by our meditation on the promises associated with them. Recall and reclaim the graces of your baptism and confirmation.

 

But God is never limited to the sacraments or the Church's services. And it is certainly worth reminding many Christians of this, as there are those who are suspicious of any piety or spiritual passion that does not conform to a liturgical norm or is not safely contained in a Church building. To say the least, Jesus and the Apostles were not so squeamish The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.(cp. John 3:8)!  Wherever there is devout prayer from living faith, wherever the word of God is read, remembered and revered, the Spirit acts through us. Wherever we obey God in service to the Church and the world, calling on his empowering grace, the Spirit acts through us.

 

Sometimes this will be manifest and even glorious. But we will not always see or feel that it is happening. Sometimes God is doing so much more than we played a part in that we might even wonder whether we had anything to do with it at all. Some of the biblically listed gifts of the Spirit are obviously miraculous (tongues, healing), others don't seem to be so (administration, practical help, encouragement).

 

Unfortunately, there can even be gifts used without virtue or without wisdom (e.g., Balaam,  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. (Matthew 7:21-23), LINK : 1 Corinthians 14).

 As we seek to serve, praying fervently and with confident trust, united to the Church and listening to the Word, we too will be filled with the Spirit. +