Walking with Jesus: Feast of Pentecost A

For Sunday, May 24, 2026

Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13; John 20: 19-23


The Jewish feast of Pentecost was one of the three major pilgrim festivals of Israel. Originally it was a celebration marking the end of the grain harvest. It was also called the Feast of Weeks because it came 50 days after the Feast of Unleavened Bread, which brings part of the Exodus story to light. When God told every Hebrew family to sacrifice a lamb and wipe its blood on their doorpost, they were admonished to prepare to depart so quickly they wouldn’t have time for bread to rise. So this feast, celebrated for a week, memorialized the Exodus event. Now the Passover event celebrated the giving of the Law — the Ten Commandments — on Mt. Sinai. Because of the great significance of this day, Hebrew pilgrims from “every nation” were in Jerusalem for the celebration. Although only “men” were mentioned, we know that women and children also made the pilgrimage. We don’t know exactly where the room was, which brings up questions: Was it the place where the 120 mentioned in Acts 1:25 gathered, or was it the upper room where 12 apostles had been hiding in Acts 2:14? We just don’t know. The main point is the bestowing of the Holy Spirit, and all the phenomena associated with it, as an experience of God — theophany, God revealing Himself to humanity — happened. After all were filled with the Holy Spirit, they began speaking in other languages — a feat that could only have supernatural, spiritual origin. Most importantly, with the bestowal of the Holy Spirit, the disciples were authorized to continue the mission of Jesus. With our confirmation we are commissioned to do the same: believe in Jesus, have faith and live faith, and love — especially, love those in most need.

Today's feast brings the Easter season to conclusion. 

In the first reading of the Acts of the Apostles, these Pentecost events set in motion a drive for believers to push forward beyond Jerusalem into the world and into the future. It’s not an event just for back then, but a NOW time for you and me. It is not an event just for priests or deacons or religious people working on their holiness, but for ALL!

The plan of God to redeem the world — to give us a plan and a pattern of behavior and interaction with others — is set fully in motion. Because our mission as followers and believers and receivers of the Holy Spirit is so universal to all, we have been given gifts to share with the vast diversity of those in our lives. Do I realize this is not only my goal, but my commission? If not me, then who will touch them? It’s all about love: I’m loved, and others certainly need love. Satan never wants this and so easily distracts us away from loving others to think just of ourselves. He makes attitudes like laziness, indifference, uncaring, lack of discipline, feelings of inadequacy — so attractive, never wanting us to receive or give love.

Paul brings all of this into focus by explaining the Lordship of Jesus. “Lord” was the official title of the Roman emperor. To proclaim Jesus as Lord was to set up a rivalry between the followers of Jesus and the ruling political authority. As a result the early Christians risked being captured, tortured and killed — most often by beheading, as Paul was. Paul then launches into a primer on the varieties of functions within the early Christian community. Gifts were gifts from the Holy Spirit — among them speaking in tongues and prophesying — as well as the ministries of helping and serving the poor, widows, and slaves. All gifts were given for the benefit of the entire community. Think on this. Do we give our own gifts freely to others?

The appearance and bestowal of the Spirit upon the disciples occurred on the same day — “evening of that first day of the week” [John 20:19] … and the doors were closed … Jesus appears in their midst … He gives those present a greeting of peace … He calls attention to His wounds … He confers the Spirit on them … He entrusts them with the power of binding and loosing of sins. All of these actions contain great theological symbolism. The first day of the week is the actual day of the resurrection … in the morning at the tomb, now it is evening [v.19]. It is the beginning of the week with a focus on the future. Locked doors? The apostles and others were afraid of their own arrest and murder. The closed doors underscore the mysterious character of Jesus’ risen body, not impeded by material obstacles, moving wherever He wants. The greeting of peace was a prayer for the eschatological blessings of health, prosperity and goodwill to all. Calling attention to His wounds, Jesus shows He is not a figment of their imagination or some kind of ghost from the netherworld: He is the same person who was crucified. His breathing on them is the exact expression used in the creation accounts in Genesis — the breath of God. The commission of going out was the same then as it is for you and me today. What do you need today? What do I need today? What are my obstacles living love this day? Jesus said: Ask and you will receive.

So I reflect on:

• How much time do I spend comparing myself to others? Material goods, car, job, clothes, physical appearance ... how do I feel about these versus the gifts I’ve received from God?
• Do I realize that when God forgives my sins, I’m renewed in the freedom to use my gifts toward helping others experience God’s love?

Sacred Space 2026 states:

“Human breath is wondrous and it is the first sign of life we are likely to experience as well as being the final sign that will be observed when the end comes for us all. We’re told that Jesus breathed on the disciples and gave them the Holy Spirit, so we make a prayer of gratitude for the gifts that are given to us in the sacrament of Confirmation and ask that the fortitude bestowed may continue to sustain us.”