Pentecost: The Harvest Festival 4

 Antoni BigCuore *

"And no one can say," Jesus is Lord! "Except under the action of the Holy Spirit." (1 Cor, 12, 3)

Tomorrow, 09.06.2019, we celebrate the feast of Pentecost. Penta, fifty days after Easter. The practically "official" day of the foundation of the church of Our Lord Jesus Christ, Petrina Church, the ONLY continuation of the Apostles.

For information, let us go back to the Old Testament, more specifically, in the Book of Exodus, chapter 23, verses 14 to 19, which deals with the principal Jewish feasts, one of which "Harvest" is considered Jewish Pentecost.

Let's go to the text: "Three times a year you will have a pilgrimage. The first will be the Feast of Unleavened Bread (also known as Unleavened Bread) (1) which will be celebrated thus: for seven days, as I commanded you, you shall eat unleavened bread at the appointed time of the month of Abib, the month you left Egypt. No one should appear empty-handed in front of me. The second pilgrimage will be the feast of the Messe, the feast of the first fruits of their sowing work in the fields. And a third pilgrimage at the Feast of the Harvest, at the end of the year, when you collect the produce of your labors in the field. Three times a year, the whole male population will appear before the Lord Yahweh. " ( 2 )

0.1. Church Guided by the Holy Spirit.

Thus says the catechism of the Catholic Church in Canon 767: "After the work which the Father had entrusted to the Son to accomplish on earth, the Holy Spirit was sent on the day of Pentecost to sanctify the church permanently."

"It was then that the" church was publicly manifested before the multitude and the spread of the Gospel began with the preaching. " Because it is the "summons" of all men to salvation, the Church is by her very nature missionary sent by Christ to all peoples to make them disciples.

"To accomplish the mission, the Holy Spirit" endows and directs the church through the various hierarchical and charismatic gifts. " That is why the Church, enriched by the gifts of her Founder and striving to faithfully observe her precepts of charity, humility and self-denial, was given the mission of proclaiming the Kingdom of Christ and of God and establishing it in all peoples; of this Kingdom it constitutes on earth the germ and the beginning. "

0.2. Church Mystical Body of Christ.

There is much confusion in the minds of the people regarding the concept of the church. The most beautiful concept I think of is the Mystical Body of Christ. The church as the Mystical Body of Christ, is incorruptible, infallible, perfect in all respects!

0.3. Hierarchical Church

Opponents of the Catholic Church criticize it for its rigid structure. But between us, if in every organization there are failures, imagine if there were no hierarchy?

Pope, bishops and priests, all united in one ideal: the Ideal of Jesus Christ, the ideal of the Kingdom of God!

0.4. Visible Church.

Church, not the one of bricks and clay, but the whole of the people. The Assembly, made up of human people from all walks of life, united in a UNIQUE IDEAL of love of God; in short, is the people of God on pilgrimage on this earth. This is the pilgrim church, visible. Church on a walk to heaven!

Conclusion: The most important of all, is to follow, day by day, the steps of Jesus and his commandments. It is to assume your Discipleship in full, and this implies loving as Jesus loved! To do all that he left, it is summarized: "LOVE GOD ABOVE ALL AND NEXT TO HIMSELF !!!. This is the greatest Law. It sums up all the true love of God for us, and us for Him, and our neighbor.

The Holy Spirit is the Sanctifier, who proceeds from the Father and the Son; and the love of the Father and the Son, who guides the church from the great and magnificent moment of Pentecost. Let's look at the book of the Apostles, chapter 2, verses 1 to 4: "When the day of Pentecost came, they were all gathered together in the same place. Suddenly a noise came from the sky like a gust of wind and filled the house where they were. Then they appeared as tongues of fire, which spread and fell upon each one of them. All were filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance. "

Reading and meditating on the Bible, especially the New Testament, consisting of the gospels, the apostolic letters and the apocalypse.

And, most difficult, put all this into practice. It's difficult, but not impossible!. Start slowly, setting small goals, and over time, increase it until you reach the ideal point. Spirituality is a long way. It is imperative that we take the first steps!

The Word of God is thrilling, it subtly enfolds us in a way that, when we realize it, we are already immersed in its river of living water. The Master tells us: He who believes in me will see rivers of living water, flowing within him.

And this Living Water is the Holy Spirit of God !!! It is he who enlightens us in our daily decisions; which inspires us to do any job well done; which clarifies reason and intelligence and, above all, gives us the DOMAIN OF DISCERNMENT!

It should be noted that Mary Most Holy is the One who most identifies herself with the Holy Spirit, for it was through her that she begot in her womb the Son of God, our Lord Jesus Christ (read in Luke 1).

And, above all, the sacramental experience. The sacraments are sensitive signs of the grace of God; are considered the foundation of the Church of Christ !. Above all, confession (reconciliation) and the Holy Eucharist.

Says the master: "I AM THE LEAVING LIVING BREAD OF HEAVEN. WHO EATING THIS BREAD WILL LIVE ETERNALLY. "

A Holy Sunday to all and may the Holy Spirit of God always send you from the heavens, profusely, your blessings, protecting you in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen!

Antoni BigCuore. Author is Friend of Good and Communicator of the Gospel of Jesus Christ for the whole planet. Access and divulge his BLOG BEM VIVER BRAZIL: http://antonibigcuore.blogspot.com (self-knowledge, homeostatic spirituality and healthy life). His philosophical and poetic link: www.recantodasletras.com.br/autores/antonibigcuore. (original text of 09.05.2008 and amendments: 10.06.2011, 05.20.2018 and 08.06.2019).