Pentecost

“The day has dawned upon us when..., glorified by his ascension into heaven

following his resurrection, the Lord Jesus Christ sent the Holy Spirit” 

(Saint Augustine, Sermon 271, 1).

Today, too, what took place in the Upper Room takes place anew in our midst. Like a mighty wind that overtakes us, like a crash that startles us, like a fire that illuminates us, the gift of the Holy Spirit descends upon us.

The reading from the Acts of the Apostles tells us that in Jerusalem at that time there was a multitude of people from various backgrounds, yet “each one heard them speaking in his own native tongue” (v. 6).

In a word, at Pentecost, the doors of the Upper Room were opened because the Spirit opens borders. As Benedict XVI explained:

“The Spirit opens borders...

 The Church must always become anew what she already is.

She must open the borders between peoples and

break down the barriers between class and race.

In her, there cannot be those who are neglected or disdained.

In the Church there are only free men and women,

brothers and sisters of Jesus Christ”

(Homily for Pentecost, 15 May 2005).

The Spirit opens borders, first of all, in our hearts. He is the Gift that opens our lives to love. His presence breaks down our hardness of heart, our narrowness of mind, our selfishness, the fears that enchain us and the narcissism that makes us think only of ourselves.

The Spirit of God allows us to find a new way of approaching and experiencing life. He puts us in touch with our inmost self beneath all the masks we wear. He leads us to an encounter with the Lord by teaching us to experience the joy that is his gift. He convinces us that only by abiding in love, will we receive the strength to remain faithful to his word and to let it transform us.

The Spirit opens our interior borders, so that our lives can become places of welcome and refreshment. The Holy Spirit, on the other hand, brings to maturity within us the fruits that enable us to cultivate good and healthy relationships: “love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Gal 5:22).

Finally, the Spirit also opens borders between peoples. At Pentecost, the Apostles spoke the languages of those they met, and the confusion of Babel was finally resolved by the harmony brought about by the Spirit.

Solemnity of Pentecost – May 24, 2026