First Reading: Acts 2:1-11

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeard to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each of one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim. Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each of them heard them speaking in his own language. “Are not all of these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the disctricts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

Gospel: John 20:19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”

Today, June 8, is Pentecost Sunday. Today the Church celebrates the descent of the Holy Spirit on Mary and the Apostles. The Apostles were given the Holy Spirit, as Jesus promised, to teach them everything, to remind them of what Jesus had taught them, and to empower them to proclaim the gospel with courage. Jesus had taught them by word and example when He was on earth. Now He was to ascend to the Father. He promised to send them the Spirit to guide them in all things, but especially to strengthen them in their mission to proclaim His gospel to every land and every tongue. This is what the miracle of tongues communicates: that the gospel is intended for all! The Apostles were enabled to proclaim the gospel in all the various languages represented by those in Jerusalem. The day would come when those who spoke those languages would, in their own turn, proclaim it to their fellow countrymen in their own countries.

Today the Catholic Church is found on every continent and in nearly every nation. In fact, there are 195 countries and 58 territories in the world, and there is at least one Catholic parish in 196 of them. So there remain few places on this earth where the Catholic Church has not placed a foothold. The mission of the Twelve has been largely fulfilled, at least in terms of the mission to take the gospel to all corners of the world, to baptize all in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, and to teach them all that Jesus has commanded us. Now is the challenge to ensure that the faith taught by the Apostles is lived meaningfully in the lives of those who claim Christ. This requires courage, and that is the true miracle of Pentecost.

Prior to Pentecost, the Aposltes were hold up in the Upper Room, with Mary in their midst. The doors were locked for fear of the Jews. Fear is what kept the Apostles behind that locked door. But when the Holy Spirit descended upon them, their fears melted in His divine fire. They were encouraged – which means, of course, to be filled with courage – to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ to all who would hear. And the Holy Spirit gave them the gift of speaking in various tongues as a precurser of the day when the those who embrace Christ would represent all the various tongues spoken in our world.

The miracle of Pentecost, then, was not only tongues of fire appearing over the heads of Mary and the Aposltes. The miracle of Pentecost was not only that the Apostles preached in various tongues so that all could understand. The miracle of Pentecost was not only that three thousand were baptized on that one glorious day. The miracle of Pentecost was also that Peter was transformed from a disciple who cowered at the accusations of a servant girl into a pope who could spit in the eye of Caesar. Peter was given the courage to face all obstacles and opposition to proclaim the gospel to all.

It is for us, then, like Peter, to take up the mantle of courage and proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ with fervor for the salvation of souls. Because on that great and terrible day, we will be called to account for the talents He gave us. On that great and terrible day, He will surely judge between the sheep and the goats, the saved and the damned. On that great and terrible day, the trumpet will sound and the hosts of heaven will shout: “This is Jesus! This is the King of kings and Lord of lords! This is He who is our salvation! Every knee shall bow!”

Be Christ for all. Bring Christ to all. See Christ in all.