When Jesus ascended into Heaven, He said something astonishing to His disciples: “It is better for you that I go.” (John 16:7)
Jesus had to go so that something even greater could be given to us, the Holy Spirit. Pentecost, celebrated 50 days after Easter, is the feast that commemorates the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Apostles and the birth of the Church.
Why Did Jesus Leave?
If Jesus had stayed in His physical body, He would have remained subject to all the limits of humanity, only able to be in one place at a time. Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, Jesus makes it possible for every person to access the very life and presence of God, especially through the Sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation.
A Chocolate Milk Analogy
In Baptism, we are given the “chocolate syrup,” the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. But in Confirmation, we receive the “spoon,” the stirring that fully mixes our identity in Christ and strengthens us to live it out boldly.
What Is the Pentecost Novena?
Before the fire fell at Pentecost, the disciples waited and prayed for nine days with the Blessed Virgin Mary in the upper room. Today, we carry on that tradition through the Pentecost Novena, nine days of prayer leading up to Pentecost Sunday. You can pray the full Pentecost Novena every day in the Tabella App.
A Prayer for the Pentecost Novena
O Holy Spirit, O my God, I adore Thee, and acknowledge that I am nothing and can do nothing without Thee. Illuminate my mind. Inflame my heart. Strengthen my will. Inspire me to imitate Christ in humility, obedience, and love. Bless the Church, bless our Holy Father, the bishops, and all your faithful people. Amen.
