When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.(Acts 2:1-4)
Tongues of Fire
This Sunday we celebrate one of the greatest Christian feasts, the Solemnity of Pentecost, which is sometimes called "the birthday of the Church." We see the central event of Pentecost in the passage from Acts above: the Apostles, along with the Blessed Mother, "the women", and other disciples, were staying together in Jerusalem where we are told "All these with one accord devoted themselves to prayer." (Acts 1:14) Up to this point the small band of Jesus's remaining followers were keeping to themselves, largely avoiding the hostile public atmosphere in the aftermath of their leader's crucifixion and awaiting the arrival the Spirit which he had promised (Acts 1:4-5).
And what an arrival it was! Along with the rushing wind came tongues (γλῶσσαι) of flame which enabled them "to speak in other tongues" (γλώσσαις ). The disciples" immediately put this newly bestowed power to work by rushing out of the house where they staying and enthusiastically preaching the Gospel to the crowds who had come to Jerusalem from all over the known world to celebrate the Jewish feast of Pentecost (the name comes from the Greek Πεντηκοστή, fiftieth, occurring fifty days after Passover). They continued preaching, and publicly living out their Christian faith, in the face of often violent opposition . . .
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