Catholic Commission for Social Justice
By Leela Ramdeen, Chair, CCSJ & Director, CREDI
Today we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost. We recall how, on the evening of His Resurrection, Jesus appeared in the locked upper room in Jerusalem where the disciples were gathered with Mary.
Let us welcome the Holy Spirit on this Pentecost Sunday and open our hearts to be renewed by the Spirit.
My heart was filled with joy as I saw images in the media of citizens assisting Venezuelans who were queuing to register. As stated in the Trinidad Express, June 1: “Venezuelans were not the only ones who came out yesterday on the first day of the two-week registration exercise at the Queen’s Park Oval in Port of Spain. Amid the crowd were a few Trinidad and Tobago citizens who felt moved to help the migrants in whatever way they could. There were those providing snacks and water, translation services and even one offering free transport into Port of Spain…”
“…the Holy Spirit has been poured out upon humanity like a vast torrent of grace” (Pope Francis).
Today’s Gospel reading on Pentecost Sunday (Jn 20: 9–23) should inspire us to open our hearts and allow the Holy Spirit to empower us to go out from our comfort zones and live our faith in the market places. Jesus’ words to his disciples apply to all of us: “Peace be with you…As the Father has sent me, even so I send you… Receive the Holy Spirit” (Jn 20:21–22).
Today is Pentecost Sunday. While we thank God for the gift of the Holy Spirit who was given to us to renew the face of the earth, let us reflect on the words of Fr Tommy Lane: “What would the Church be like if it were vibrant with the Holy Spirit?…I ask you to pray that the Church may receive a fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit…so that the Church may fly!” May the Holy Spirit open our hearts so that we will reach out to those who need our love and attention, particularly our families.
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 had 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.”