Pentecost
Pentecost or Whitsunday commemorates the coming of the Holy Ghost to the apostles, enabling them to speak in tongues so that all the listeners heard the words in their own language. It marks the beginning of the Christian church and the empowerment of the Holy Spirit in our own lives.
Fr. Chip’s liturgy lesson for Pentecost, commonly known as Whitsunday:
Pentecost! The very name conjures the image of that first empowerment of the Church Militant as documented in Acts 2. On this day, we commemorate the Holy Ghost’s pouring Himself on Christ’s disciples, as they waited before Him, obedient to the Lord’s instruction. We regard the day as the Church’s birthday, because the gift of the Holy Ghost was then bestowed on the new Christians, filling and baptizing them with power to work for the Kingdom, as Christ promised—launching them on their apostolic mission to carry the Gospel to the world. Taking place 10 days after the Ascension, on the Jewish Festival of Shavuot (Weeks)–sometimes called “the Day of the First Fruits”—it was a significant time for the new Church, as God the Holy Ghost, for the first time, began to manifest the Gifts of the Spirit outlined in 1 Corinthians 12, while growing the first Fruit of the Spirit enumerated in Galatians 5. We call it “Pentecost” from the Greek word pentecoste, meaning “fiftieth,” since the holiday occurs fifty days after Passover and Easter. “Whitsun” is similar–a corruption of the German “Pfingsten,” and also means “fiftieth.” The liturgical color is red, representing the fire of the Holy Ghost and the Blood sealing the third and final Covenant God made with mankind. Preceded by the Abrahamic and Mosaic covenants, this New and third Covenant rightly sets the stage for the Church’s longest season—Trinity (Three) celebrating our new relationship with our triune God and the season of growth and spiritual plenty blessed by the fullness of God—Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Come, Holy Ghost—fill us with celestial fire!
