Sunday Pentecost—Solemnity
Sunday wey follow di seventh week of Easter
Colour for Liturgy: Red
Version: Full One – Short One
Podcast channels:
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Wetin Dem Quote:
When di time for Pentecost reach, all of dem gather together for one place. Suddenly, one sound come from di sky like strong wind wey dey blow with force, and e fill di whole house where dem dey. Then dem see somethings wey resemble tongues of fire; dem separate and rest on each person. Holy Spirit fill all of dem, and dem begin speak different languages, as di Spirit give dem power to speak. ~Acts 2:1–4
Make We Reflect: Today, we dey celebrate di most glorious Solemnity of Pentecost, di Gift wey di Father and di Son promise Jesus disciples. After Jesus rise from di dead, He appear to His disciples for forty days. For those times wey He appear, He give dem proof say He don rise from di dead, continue to teach dem, and remind dem of everything wey He don reveal to dem about His death and Resurrection. Na so He prepare dem for di next step of their mission. “As he dey meet with dem, he command dem make dem no comot from Jerusalem, but make dem wait for ‘di promise of di Father wey una don hear me talk about; because John baptize with water, but for a few days, una go receive baptism with di Holy Spirit’” (Acts 1:4–5).
During di ten days after Jesus ascend go heaven, di eleven Apostles gather together for di upstairs room with Jesus mother and plenty other disciples; all of dem na 120 people. Most likely, di place where dem gather na di same place where di Apostles chop di Passover meal, di first Eucharist, with Jesus. As dem meet, di first thing wey dem do na to choose person wey go take Judas place. Dem cast lots, and na Matthias dem choose to join di Twelve.
For di fiftieth day after Jesus Resurrection, ten days after He ascend go heaven, di 120 disciples gather again for di upstairs room when something wey pass wetin dem fit imagine happen to dem. One sound come from di sky like strong wind wey dey blow with force. E fill di room where dem dey. Tongues wey resemble fire come rest on everybody wey gather, and dem receive di gift of tongues. This gift give dem power to speak different languages—through di power of di Holy Spirit—to di different groups of people for Jerusalem. Na this Jesus don promise dem, and suddenly dem understand as dem receive di Gift of God.
After di disciples receive di Holy Spirit, dem go out among di people of Jerusalem and begin boldly proclaim di Gospel to everybody. Di people wey dey live for Jerusalem shock and confuse. Some accuse di disciples say dem don drunk, and dem mock dem. But some quickly believe. Then Peter stand up and preach one powerful sermon wey touch people for heart and explain di whole mystery of salvation. He talk about Jesus as di Saviour and how people need to turn from sin to God and receive baptism. “Di people wey accept his message receive baptism, and about three thousand people join dem that day” (Acts 2:41). Di new followers then give themselves fully to di teaching of di Apostles and to di celebration of di Eucharist. Na so one strong Christian community start for Jerusalem.
As di community continue to grow, learn wetin di Apostles dey teach, and receive di Holy Spirit wey God dey pour out on dem, miracles happen. Peter and John heal one blind man. Before long, 5,000 people don turn to Christ, and Holy Spirit fill dem. More miracles happen through di hands of all di Apostles, people come from di villages around and turn to Christ, and di new believers live as one, dey share their food and wetin dem get with others.
Before long, di members of di Sanhedrin begin worry. Dem think say dem don stop Jesus, but dem see say di Apostles dey bring thousands of people to believe. Dem arrest di Apostles and put dem for prison, but one angel let dem out for night, and dem appear for di Temple di next day, dey continue to preach and heal. Di Sanhedrin members confuse and no know wetin dem go do. Dem hope say di new excitement go soon calm down and everything go return to how e be before—but e no happen like that.
Di Apostles see say dem need to care better for di poor with di money and provisions wey di thousands of disciples hold together as their common property. So dem appoint seven men as deacons for this work, so that di Apostles fit continue to preach, heal, and give di sacraments. Shortly after, dem shed blood. Dem kill Stephen, one of di deacons wey dem newly ordain, because of his faith. “That day, serious persecution begin against di Church for Jerusalem, and all of dem scatter go di countryside of Judea and Samaria, apart from di apostles” (Acts 8:1).
Wetin dey above show the work of the Holy Spirit. Pentecost na the day wey the Church born. The mission of the Holy Spirit na to form the Church and give every baptized member of Christ Body power to do the particular duty wey belong to am. Some go preach, some care for poor people, some shed their blood because of their faith, and others go be sent to other towns and villages. E clear say the Holy Spirit allow the community of believers for Jerusalem to scatter, as one way to spread the Church beyond Jerusalem. The disciples wey just convert and receive power travel far and wide to spread the Church wey just born. The Church grow fast as this new Body of Christ dey mature and carry out im mission.
For the years and centuries wey follow, the Holy Spirit continue to form the Church. The Apostles receive inspiration to write wetin we know today as the New Testament, so that believers wey go come later go get accounts of the Gospel from people wey witness am themselves. From there, the successors of the Apostles, for unity with the successor of Saint Peter, help to form Sacred Tradition. This na the revelation of the Word of God wey continue to go deeper, to answer new questions wey come up. Jesus promise Peter and im successors say He go give am the keys to the Kingdom of Heaven, so that im and im successors fit tie and loose for earth as e be for Heaven. This promise continue to unfold and help the Church to mature. The Holy Spirit make the communities wey dey grow fit continue to receive nourishment through the Sacraments. The believers receive power to pray and enter personal relationship with the One wey rise from death and now sit for the right hand of the Father. Other believers receive plenty special spiritual gifts wey dem need to build up the Church. Dem continue to preach the Gospel reach the ends of the earth, and God people enter life of deep holiness and unity with God. All this dey happen through the Gift of the Holy Spirit wey dem first receive for Pentecost and wey God still dey give today.
Apart from building up the Church and making am fit carry out im divine mission, the Holy Spirit also dey make each believer holy, especially by giving the Seven Gifts of the Holy Spirit. According to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, “The seven gifts of the Holy Spirit na wisdom, understanding, good counsel, courage, knowledge, devotion to God, and fear of the Lord…Dem complete the virtues of people wey receive them and make those virtues perfect. Dem make the faithful ready to obey divine inspirations with willing heart” (#1831). The Holy Spirit also dey plant twelve fruits inside us: “The fruits of the Spirit na perfect qualities wey the Holy Spirit dey form inside us as the first fruits of eternal glory. The tradition of the Church list twelve of them: ‘love of God and neighbour, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, decency, self-control, purity for sexual life’” (#1832). Na for Baptism we first receive these graces, and dem become perfect for Confirmation. Every member of Christ wey don receive Baptism and Confirmation get the ability to allow these graces work fully for im life, so that e go grow for holiness and carry out im divine mission.
As we dey celebrate the great Solemnity of Pentecost, call on the Holy Spirit to work for your life. Too many times, we dey receive Baptism and Confirmation with mind and heart wey we close. We no dey allow the Holy Spirit to work fully for our lives. Pray to the Holy Spirit today, and open yourself more fully to everything wey God want give you, so that you go become holy and become a member of His Body, the Church, wey dey take more active part.
Prayer: Holy Spirit, come to me and give me Your seven gifts, so that I fit draw closer to Christ Jesus and act with more faithfulness as a member of His Body. Make good fruit grow for my life and for other people lives, so that the message of salvation wey the Gospel carry go reach far and wide, and draw everybody to You, to praise You and give You glory forever. Most Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit —I love You, I believe in You, and na You I trust.
Dem take dis reflection from:
Saint Dem and Feast Dem for di Liturgical Year
Volume One–Four
Read More:
Reflection on the Gospel for Pentecost
Catholic Saint Dem & Feast Dem
All di Saint Dem for di Liturgical Year
(Short Version)
Sunday Pentecost—Solemnity
Sunday wey follow di seventh week of Easter
Today, we dey celebrate the glorious Solemnity of Pentecost, the Gift wey the Father and the Son promise Jesus disciples. After Jesus rise from death, He appear to His disciples for forty days. He give them proof say He don rise, teach them, and remind them of everything wey He don reveal to them about His death and Resurrection, to prepare them for the next step of their mission.
During the ten days after Jesus Ascension, the eleven Apostles gather together for the upper room—wey most likely be the place where dem eat the first Eucharist—with Jesus mother and many other disciples. All of them together na 120. As dem gather, dem cast lots and choose Matthias as Judas successor.
For di fiftieth day after Jesus rise from death, ten days after E ascend go heaven, di 120 disciples gather again for di upstairs room when dem experience something wey pass wetin dem fit imagine. From di sky, one sound like strong wind wey dey blow hard fill di room. Tongues wey be like fire come rest on everybody wey gather there, and through di power of di Holy Spirit, dem receive di gift of tongues. Dis gift make dem fit speak different languages to di different groups of people for Jerusalem.
Di disciples go out enter Jerusalem and proclaim di Gospel with boldness. Peter stand up preach one powerful sermon wey touch people for heart and present di whole mystery of salvation. E talk about Jesus as di Saviour and how people need turn from sin to God and receive Baptism. “Dem baptize di people wey accept im message, and about three thousand people join dem that day” (Acts 2:41). Di new followers then give themselves fully to learning from di Apostles and to di celebration of di Eucharist.
Pentecost na di birthday of di Church. Di Holy Spirit form di Church and give each member wey don receive Baptism power to carry out one particular duty. Some preach, some care for poor people, and some shed their blood because of their faith. Di disciples wey just turn to God and receive power travel far and wide to spread di new Church. Di Church grow fast as di new Body of Christ carry out im mission.
For di years and centuries wey follow, di Holy Spirit continue to form di Church. Di Holy Spirit inspire di Apostles to write wetin we know today as di New Testament, so that believers wey go come later go get accounts of di Gospel from people wey experience am themselves. Di successors of di Apostles and Saint Peter help form Sacred Tradition, di revelation of di Word of God wey dey continue to go deeper to answer new questions.
Di Holy Spirit also dey make each believer holy, especially through di Seven Gifts of di Holy Spirit. As di Catechism of di Catholic Church talk, “Di seven gifts of di Holy Spirit na wisdom, understanding, counsel, courage, knowledge, devotion to God, and fear of di Lord…Dem complete di virtues of people wey receive dem and make those virtues perfect. Dem make di faithful willing and ready to obey di things wey God inspire dem to do” (#1831). Di Holy Spirit also dey make twelve fruits grow inside us: “Di fruits of di Spirit na perfect qualities wey di Holy Spirit dey form inside us as di first fruits of eternal glory. Di Tradition of di Church list twelve of dem: ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, chastity’” (#1832). We receive these graces for Baptism, and dem become perfect for Confirmation. Each member of Christ wey don receive Baptism and Confirmation fit allow these graces work fully for im life, so e go grow for holiness and carry out di mission wey God give am.
Holy Spirit, come to me and give me Your seven gifts, so that I fit draw closer to Christ Jesus and act with more faithfulness as member of His Body. Make good fruit grow for my life and for other people lives, so that di message of salvation for di Gospel go draw everybody to You, to praise and glorify You forever. Most Holy Trinity—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit —I love You, I believe in You, and I trust in You.