May 23 Sat
Can I prepare Pentecost by the hand of Mary?
We should look to the Virgin Mary as a model for preparing and refreshing the outpouring of the Holy Spirit.
Pentecost is not merely an event of the past, but a living reality that is continually renewed in the Church. It was the moment when the disciples moved from fear to the courageous proclamation of the Gospel, driven by the Holy Spirit.
Far from being an isolated historical event, Pentecost remains present in Christian life. The Holy Spirit continues to be poured out in the sacraments, especially in Baptism, Confirmation, and the Eucharist, where Christ is truly present. For this reason, this feast is a privileged opportunity to renew that grace in our personal lives; a grace that continues alive today.
To fully experience Pentecost, we must direct our glance to the Virgin Mary and her attitude toward the mystery of the Incarnation, and even during the rest of her life. Imitating her, docility to God’s will, openness to His action, trusting obedience, and firm faith are the keys that enable Christians to prepare themselves for the Holy Spirit’s action.
Jesus promised to grant the Holy Spirit to those who ask for it. Unlike other requests, this one does have a divine guarantee: whoever asks for it with faith will receive it. Thus, we should ask for the Holy Spirit with prayerful trust and confidence in Jesus’ promise.
Alongside personal prayer, we must use prayer in a family or community setting.
Gathering to invoke the Holy Spirit, as the Apostles did together with Mary, is a concrete way to prepare to receive His gifts.
Since the sacraments are a source of spiritual life, another essential recommendation is to deepen sacramental life, especially participation in the Eucharist. Frequent attendance, even daily, during these days, is a privileged way to prepare to welcome the Spirit’s action in one’s life.
Pentecost is also a time to rediscover the gifts of the Holy Spirit—both those that aid in personal sanctification and those oriented toward service to others. These gifts are not something extraordinary reserved for a select few, but a living reality for all in the Church. They are a gift that every baptized person is called to discover, cultivate, and place at the service of the community.
Thus, we must revive the charism of one’s vocation (as a lay person or priest) with the help of the Holy Spirit.
“The marvel of Pentecost consecrates all the different ways: it can never be understood as a monopoly or the appreciation of only one way to the detriment of the others.
Pentecost means an unlimited variety of tongues, of methods, of forms of meeting God: not violent uniformity."
Preparing for this solemnity is not merely a matter of recalling an event, but of opening ourselves to relive it. Pentecost remains today a call to allow ourselves to be transformed by the Spirit, to step outside of ourselves, and to proclaim the Gospel with courage from our place in the world. It is a journey that begins in the heart… and opens out to the world.