Thought for the Day – 5 June – The Feast of Pentecost

Thought for the Day – 5 June – Meditations with Antonio Cardinal Bacci (1881-1971)

The Feast of Pentecost

“What kind of men were the Apostles before the Miracle of Pentecost?”
They were rough men of the people, generous and fond of Jesus perhaps but ignorant, timid and ambitious.
They were hoping for personal glory in an earthly kingdom.
Then came the catasrophe of Calvary.
Their simple trust disappeared and left their hearts filled with regret.
“Then all the disciples left Him and fled” (Mt 25:56).
It seemed to them that Jesus had failed, so they deserted Him!

The Miracle of the Resurrection restored their faith.
But, they were still lacking in courage and enterprise.

They gathered together in the Cenacle to pray and shut themselves up there, for fear of the Jews.
But before He had ascended into Heaven, Jesus had promised that He would send the Holy Spirit, to enlighten them concerning His teaching and to give them the courage and ability to spread it, throughout the world.
Now this promise was fulfilled.
On the feast of Pentecost, which was fifty days after that of the Passover, there was a sudden sound from Heaven, “as of a violent wind blowing.”
Then there appeared “tongues of fire, which settled upon each of them” (Acts 2:1).

From the moment when they received the Holy Spirit, the Apostles were utterly transformed!
Their intellects were filled with a supernatural light, their hearts were overflowing with love and their wills received the Divine strength to withstand human opposition.
They left the Cenacle and began to preach openly, the doctrine of Jesus Christ.
Their words sounded in the ears of each listener as if they were spoken in his own language, so that the Light of the Gospel, was given to all.
Nor did the men show the slightest fear when they had to face the anger of the Synagogue and of the Jewish people.
Like peaceful conquerors, without any human weapons but backed by by the power of God, they divided the world amongst themselves, so that they might win it for Christ!

The Roman Empire was small to them.
They travelled, moreover, to the distant shores of Ethiopia and India, where the Eagle of Rome had never found its way!

Surely, this is the most extraordinary Miracle of history?!

The Holy Spirit accomplished that which human armies had never been able to do, save in part or for a limited period of time.
In this achievement, He used the weakest possible human means, namely, twelve poor fishermen!

The earthly Empire of Rome, passed away but the Spiritual domain of Christ still remains, with its centre at Rome, as the only true Light, the only unfailing hope and the only pledge of salvation for individuals and nations.

Antonio Cardinal Bacci

PART TWO:
https://anastpaul.com/2020/06/23/thought-for-the-day-22-june-the-feast-of-pentecost/