The First Reading tells us the story of what happened during that first Pentecost, in the upper room and on the streets of Jerusalem. While the Spirit of God descended on the disciples and they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues; the people on the streets were amazed they could hear their own languages being spoken by the disciples. Acts 2:5-6 says, “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 one heard them speaking in his own language.” This event of Pentecost is not something that happened spontaneously, it was the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise.

In Jerusalem there were people from different lands who spoke different languages. God gave the gifts of different tongues to each of the disciples and gave them the words to praise God in different languag- es. There were two reactions to hearing the disciples speak in different tongues. When some heard God being praised in their own language, they were amazed, and some asked what this meant and maybe some of them followed the disciples and became followers of Christ. While others wrote the incident off, attributing the actions of the disciples as being drunk on wine. These people missed the invitation the Lord was giving them. Today, the Lord is asking us which crowd we will belong to this Pentecost? Will we be amazed and drawn to God through His gifts of the Spirit and say yes to His invitation to follow Him or will we reject the invitation and walk on?

In the Gospel proclamation, Jesus gives us a promise. “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of truth, which the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows it. But you know it, because it remains with you, and will be in you” (John 14:15-17). When we say yes to the invitation of the Lord, He promises to give us another Advocate – the Holy Spirit. We are not on this journey alone. We journey with God the Father, the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Today, the Holy Spirit wants to give us a fresh anointing. No matter who we are, the Lord is calling us to follow Him and to be baptized in the Holy Spirit. St. Paul says in 1 Corinthians 12:11, “All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines.” The Holy Spirit is waiting to give us His gifts. He is waiting to empower us to proclaim His word, to do miracles and to heal people. All we have to do is accept His invitation. Let us give God our “yes” and be baptized anew in the Holy Spirit.

Prayer: Abba Father, today I give you my yes and ask you to baptize me afresh in the Holy Spirit. Amen.