Sunday, 8 June. The end of the last Sunday Mass today marks the end of the Easter season.

Readings — Acts 2:1-11; Ps. 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34; 1 Cor. 12:3-7, 12-13 or Rom. 8:8-17; Jn. 20:19-23 or Jn. 14:15-16, 23-26.

Some notes on Pentecost Sunday:

1. The Feast commemorates the Descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles, 50 days after the Resurrection of Christ. The Greek word "pentekoste" means 50th. The descent of the Holy Spirit occurred during the Jewish festival of "Shavuot," or the "feast of weeks," or Pentecost. It was known in Old Testament times as "the feast of harvest of the first fruits" or "the feast of weeks." It is the closing festival of the harvest.

2. For the Jews of today, Pentecost commemorates the Lord's giving of the Torah to Moses on Mt. Sinai. Like the Passover, it is attended at Jerusalem by a great homecoming of pilgrims from all parts of the Jewish diaspora.

3. For Christians, the Feast of Pentecost dates back to the 1st century. The descent of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles in the Upper Room fulfills the New Testament promise from Christ (see Lk. 24: 46-49), that the Apostles would be "clothed with power," before their mission of proclamation.

4. Pentecost is often referred to as the "birthday of the Church," because it marks the beginning of the Apostles' public ministry. The first Pope, Peter, preaches for the 1st time and converts thousands of new believers. For the first time, the Apostles and believers are united by a common command and a common purpose to go and preach the Gospel.

5. 1st Reading, Acts 2:1-11 — "When the time for Pentecost [Shavuot] 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 where 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" (vv. 1-4).

6. Fire and wind are symbolic of God's power and presence. In Ex. 19:18, fire symbolized the presence of God to initiate the covenant on Mt. Sinai. Similarly at Pentecost, with fire and wind,

the Holy Spirit acts upon the Apostles and prepares them to proclaim the new covenant fearlessly.