The Holy Spirit Comes at Pentecost

After Jesus rose from the dead, he stayed with his friends for forty days. Then he went up to heaven. Before he left, he told them to wait in Jerusalem, because he would send them the Holy Spirit.

So they waited and prayed. Jesus' mother, Mary, prayed with them too.

Fifty days after Passover came a Jewish feast called Pentecost, a harvest festival. Jews from many countries had come to Jerusalem for it. That morning Jesus' friends had met in a house in the city.

All at once the house was full of a loud noise, like a strong wind coming down from the sky. Then they saw small flames, one above each person's head. They were filled with the Holy Spirit, and they began to speak in languages they had never learned!

Outside, a big crowd came running to see what the noise was. The visitors were amazed. Every one of them could understand these men from Galilee, who were praising God in the visitor's own language. Some people were confused. Others laughed and joked that the apostles were drunk.

Then Peter stood up, with the other apostles beside him, and spoke in a loud voice. It was only nine in the morning, he said, so no one was drunk! This was what God had promised long ago through the prophet Joel: God would pour out his Spirit on all kinds of people, young and old. Then Peter told them about Jesus. Jesus had been put to death, but God had raised him to life, and the apostles had seen him with their own eyes. Jesus is the Lord and the Messiah God promised.

The people's hearts were stirred, and they asked Peter what they should do. Peter told them to turn back to God and be baptized in Jesus' name. God would forgive their sins and give them the Holy Spirit too.

That day about three thousand people were baptized. The Church had begun to grow!

The Holy Spirit came to Jesus' friends, and he comes to us in Baptism and Confirmation to make us brave and loving.