First reading: Acts 2:1–11
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
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. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”
Second reading: 1 Cor. 12:3b–7,12–13
Brothers and sisters: No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.
As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
Gospel: Jn. 20:19–23
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, “Peace be with you.” When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained.”
In other words
Fr. Ronnie R. Crisostomo, SVD (Diocesan Shrine of Jesus, the Divine Word, Quezon City)
To remain young and beautiful is one of the great preoccupations of all generations across cultures, as exemplified in the classic search for the “fountain of youth.” Greek and Roman mythologies, for example, contain the idea of rejuvenation, immortality, and eternal youth, which could be acquired by possessing the ambrosia and nectar of the gods.
In our times, this fascination with eternal youth underlies the multibillion-dollar beauty industry. The latest statistics on the cosmetics industry show constant growth since 2004, with a forecast that by 2029, it will generate approximately USD 132 billion. To take just one sector of this industry, skincare was the most popular product in 2023, holding a market share of 40%.
We realize that the desire to remain eternally young is deeply embedded in human nature. It becomes even more compelling in cultures like ours that exalt such values.
In the teaching of the late Pope Benedict XVI on the Holy Spirit, he emphasized the Spirit’s role in ensuring that the Church remains ever young and faithful to Christ’s mission. This youthfulness of the Church is rooted in living according to the truth, preserving and being faithful to its teachings, and deepening its understanding of Scripture and doctrine. The Church can do all these because of the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, who guarantees its vitality and relevance. In other words, as long as the Church allows itself to be guided by the Holy Spirit, it will remain young. The Holy Spirit is the “fountain of youth” of the Church and Christian life.
At Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples of Christ, this event was seen as the very birth of the Church—a moment in which peoples of different tongues and origins were united in worship of God, proclaiming his marvelous deeds. Through the Holy Spirit, people can truly profess their faith that Jesus is Lord. With the gifts bestowed by the Spirit, the Church is enriched by diverse charisms, enabling her to fulfill her mission through various ministries and services. The Holy Spirit, bestowed by the Risen Lord, assures the Church of his peace and forgiveness.
The presence of the Holy Spirit in the Church guarantees her constant renewal, thus making her ever young. Throughout history, men and women inspired by the Holy Spirit have become agents of renewal in the Church.
Religious orders and congregations that emerged across Christian history, with their distinct charisms, helped renew different aspects of the Church, keeping her young and fruitful.
Furthermore, using another image, St. Augustine compares the Holy Spirit to the soul in relation to the body, highlighting how the Spirit animates, unifies, and directs the Church just as the soul does for the human body: “What the soul is to the body of a man, the Holy Spirit is to the Body of Christ, which is the Church. The Holy Spirit does in the whole Church what the soul does in all the members of one body.” (Sermon 267, 4)
This image of the Holy Spirit as the soul of the body reinforces the idea that the Spirit is the principle of youthfulness and vitality in both the Church and Christian life.