Bishop Barron on Pentecost and the Fires in Our Cities

"It is in a way providential that the Feast of Pentecost arrives this year just as our country is going through a convulsive social crisis. For the Holy Spirit, whose coming we celebrate on Pentecost, is a power meant to transform the world, or in the language of Psalm 104, 'to renew the face of the earth.' Pentecost, accordingly, is never simply for the Church; it is for the world by means of the Church.

"One of the principal biblical metaphors for the Spirit is the wind, and indeed, on Pentecost morning, the Apostles heard what sounded like a strong driving wind as the Spirit arrived. But the wind, elusive and unpredictable, is never really known in itself, but only through its effects. On the scriptural reading, the first effect of the Holy Spirit is the formation of an ekklesia (a church), which in turn is designed to transform the wider society into the Spirit's image. In the words of the Nicene Creed - accepted by Orthodox, Catholic, and Protestant Christians - this ekklesia is 'one, holy, catholic, and apostolic.' The wind of the Holy Spirit produces these qualities, and therefore, it is by them that the Spirit’s action is discerned. . . ."

In a recent commentary, Bishop Robert Barron, Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Los Angeles, reflected on the message of Pentecost and on the importance of living it as we meet the scourge opf racism and other challenges of our time.

To access Bishop Barron's complete post, please visit:

Word on Fire: Pentecost and the Fires in Our Cities (31 MAY 20)