5/JESUS
5/3 GOD THE HOLY SPIRIT
JESUS' DEPARTURE AND THE COMING OF
THE HOLY SPIRIT. The disciples were deeply saddened when Jesus told them that
he would be leaving them. He encouraged them by informing them that in his
absence he would send them the Holy Spirit. Jesus had much more to tell them,
but the disciples would only really understand what Jesus was saying was when
the Holy Spirit came and explained it to them.
THE COMING OF THE HOLY SPIRIT ON
PENTECOST. When about 120 Christians were celebrating the Jewish feast of
Pentecost, which was 50 days after Easter, suddenly there came from heaven a
sound like a strong wind and there appeared fire which rested on each
person. The strong wind was a sign of
invisible power and the fire was a sign of God's presence. They were all filled
with the Holy Spirit which is God's invisible power. The Holy Spirit gave them
the power to speak in different languages.
THE GIFTS OF THE HOLY SPIRIT. St.
Paul teaches us in the first letter to the Corinthians about the gifts that the
Holy Spirt gives to Christians for the benefit of the Church. There is the gift
of wisdom, knowledge, strong faith, the power of healing the sick, the power to
prophesy the ability to distinguish the difference between good and bad
spirits, and the ability to speak different languages. All these gifts are
given to different people but all come from the one Holy Spirit to help the
growth of the Church. Today these gifts are still given to us to be used to
help others.
