Reading: Leviticus 23:15-22
Reflection: The Feast of Pentecost is a special and profound celebration. It is of invaluable importance that the Church understands the deep meaning of this holiday. Here are some aspects:
• The Baptism of the Holy Spirit, which refers to the descent of the Spirit upon Jesus’ disciples, empowering them to be witnesses of His resurrection. • The establishment of Christ’s Church. • The gift of speaking in other tongues or glossolalia (γλωσσολαλία) as a significant phenomenon, not only in the early Church but also in the present-day Pentecostal/Charismatic movement that encompasses all segments of the global Church. In Acts 2, people from different nations heard the message of Christ’s resurrection in their own languages. This event represents the universal nature of the Church and the spreading of the gospel to all nations. • The harvest festival, which in some parts of the world coincides with the end of the grain harvest in agricultural communities. The festival is associated with gratitude for the abundance of crops and the blessings we have received from God. • The opportunity for personal renewal and awakening in the lives of believers. Pentecost is also considered a time of spiritual renewal and empowerment. It is a period when Christians seek God’s guidance and the filling of the Holy Spirit in their lives. Many churches hold special services, and prayer gatherings during Pentecost to focus on spiritual growth and seeking God’s power.
Overall, Pentecost is a joyous celebration in Christianity, marking the outpouring of the Holy Spirit and the birth of the Church. It carries themes of unity, evangelization, spiritual empowerment, and gratitude for God’s blessings. However, regardless of what we may hear or say about Pentecost today, we must not forget its roots in the Levitical law. There, the Lord commands His people to remember their past on that day and, while enjoying the freedom to live and work in their fields, vineyards, and olive groves, not to forget the poor and the strangers, for they themselves were in such a position not long ago.
“When you reap the harvest of your land, do not reap to the very edges of your field or gather the gleanings of your harvest. Leave them for the poor and for the foreigner residing among you. I am the Lord your God.'”
Prayer: Father, I pray that today you pour out your Spirit on me, my family, my church, my country, and the whole world. Revive and renew us. We are grateful for your care through material goods. I pray for a spiritual harvest in Bosnia and Herzegovina, the Balkans, and to the ends of the earth…