15. Pentecost and the Church: God Forms His People

"They therefore that received his word, were baptized; and there were added in that day about three thousand souls." - Acts 2:41

Pentecost is the day on which the Holy Ghost came down upon the Apostles and the Church began to appear openly before the nations. Christ had died, risen, and ascended into heaven. He did not leave His disciples as scattered admirers. He formed a visible Church, filled her with the Holy Ghost, and sent her to teach, baptize, forgive sins, offer true worship, and gather men into salvation.

A beginner must learn that Christianity is not only a private relationship with God. It is life in Christ's Church. From the beginning, God forms a people. He calls Abraham, gathers Israel, gives the law, sends the prophets, prepares Mary, sends His Son, appoints Apostles, and then pours out the Holy Ghost so that the Gospel may be preached to all nations.

After the Resurrection, Christ appeared to His Apostles for forty days and taught them about the kingdom of God. He commanded them not to depart from Jerusalem, but to wait for the promise of the Father. He told them that they would receive the power of the Holy Ghost and would be His witnesses even to the ends of the earth.[1]

Then Christ ascended into heaven. The Apostles returned to Jerusalem. They persevered in prayer with Mary, the Mother of Jesus, and the other disciples. They did not begin their mission by their own cleverness or strength. They waited in obedience.[2]

On the day of Pentecost, there came a sound from heaven as of a mighty wind. Tongues as of fire appeared and rested upon them. They were filled with the Holy Ghost and began to speak in different tongues. Jews from many nations heard the Apostles proclaiming the wonderful works of God.[3]

St. Peter stood up and preached that Jesus, crucified by men, had been raised by God and made Lord and Christ. The hearers were pierced in heart and asked what they must do. Peter answered: "Do penance, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ, for the remission of your sins."[4] About three thousand souls were baptized that day.

The Ascension does not mean that Christ abandoned His people. He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the Father. He reigns as King, intercedes as Priest, and governs His Church as Head.[5]

This is important because the Church's mission does not rest on human enthusiasm. It rests on the authority of the risen and ascended Christ. Before ascending, He commanded the Apostles to teach all nations, baptizing them and teaching them to observe all things whatsoever He had commanded.[6]

The beginner should learn that the Church is missionary because Christ commanded mission. She does not invent her own message. She carries His doctrine, His sacraments, and His authority.

The Holy Ghost is the third Person of the Blessed Trinity. He is not an emotion, influence, or religious excitement. He is true God, with the Father and the Son. At Pentecost, He comes upon the Apostles to strengthen, enlighten, sanctify, and send them.

The fire at Pentecost teaches purification, light, zeal, and divine presence. The different tongues show that the Gospel is not for one tribe only. The nations are being called into one faith.

This reverses the confusion of Babel. At Babel, pride scattered men and confused speech.[7] At Pentecost, the Holy Ghost gathers men by one doctrine, one Baptism, and one Lord. The unity God gives is not built by human pride. It is received by grace.

St. Peter, who had denied Christ during the Passion, now stands with courage and preaches openly. This is a sign of grace. The fearful Apostle becomes a public witness because the Holy Ghost strengthens him.

Peter does not preach vague comfort. He teaches the facts of Christ's death and Resurrection. He uses Scripture. He calls his hearers to repentance and Baptism. He teaches that Jesus is Lord and Christ.[8]

This gives the beginner a pattern for true preaching. It must teach Christ, call sinners to conversion, rely on Scripture rightly understood, and lead souls into the sacramental life of the Church.

When the people ask what they must do, Peter does not answer, "Feel religious," or, "Think privately about Jesus." He commands penance and Baptism for the remission of sins.[9]

Baptism is therefore not a mere symbol of belonging. It is the sacrament by which sins are washed away, the soul is reborn in Christ, and the person is brought into the Church. Christ Himself commanded Baptism, and the Apostles obeyed.

For beginners, this must be treated with full gravity. No one should despise Baptism, delay it carelessly, or reduce it to a ceremony of sentiment. It is the ordinary gate by which a soul enters Christian life.

After Pentecost, the believers continue in the doctrine of the Apostles, the communication of the breaking of bread, and prayers.[10] This shows a visible order: doctrine, fellowship, sacramental worship, prayer, authority, and common life.

The Church is not an invisible cloud of private opinions. She has Apostles, teaching, Baptism, Eucharistic worship, discipline, charity, and mission. Souls are added to her. They can be counted because they have visibly entered.

This does not make the Church merely human. Her visible order comes from Christ and is animated by the Holy Ghost. As man is body and soul, so the Church has visible structure and divine life.

At Pentecost, people from many nations hear the Apostles. This shows the Catholic nature of the Church. Catholic means universal: not because every opinion is accepted, but because one true faith is preached to all peoples.

The Church does not belong to one race, language, class, or country. She is sent to every nation. Yet her universality does not destroy doctrine. The same Gospel must be taught everywhere.

The beginner should learn this balance. The Church is wide enough for all nations, but not vague enough for all errors. She gathers men by truth, grace, worship, and obedience to Christ.

The first Christians continue in apostolic doctrine. They do not treat teaching as optional. Truth forms the mind and guards the soul from error.

They continue in the breaking of bread, which points to Eucharistic worship. They continue in prayers. They also practice charity, helping one another and living as a people set apart for God.[11]

This gives a simple outline of Catholic life: believe what God has revealed, receive the sacraments, pray, obey the Church's order, practice charity, and persevere. Catholic life is not one religious mood. It is the ordered life of grace.

Pentecost begins the visible public mission of the Church, but the mission continues through history. The Apostles preach, suffer, govern, write, ordain, and hand on what they received from Christ.

This handing on is called tradition, not in the sense of a human custom replacing Scripture, but in the sense of the Church faithfully receiving and transmitting the doctrine, worship, sacraments, and authority given by Christ through the Apostles.[12]

The beginner should therefore not imagine Christianity as something each generation invents again. The faith is received, guarded, taught, and lived. The Church passes on what she has received.

The soul must learn that Christ formed a Church. He did not leave the world with private religious impressions.

The soul must learn that the Holy Ghost is true God, given to sanctify, strengthen, and guide the Church.

The soul must learn the gravity of Baptism. It is commanded by Christ and preached by Peter for the remission of sins.

The soul must learn that Catholic unity is visible. Doctrine, sacraments, authority, worship, and charity belong together.

The soul must also learn that the Church is universal without being vague. She is sent to all nations with one faith, not many conflicting gospels.

At Pentecost, the Holy Ghost came upon the Apostles, Peter preached Christ crucified and risen, sinners were called to penance and Baptism, and about three thousand souls were added to the Church. God formed His people openly before the nations.

This completes the first road through the foundations. God created all things in order. Man sinned. God promised mercy. Sacrifice, covenant, law, kingship, prophecy, Mary, the Incarnation, the Cross, and the Resurrection all lead to Christ and His Church. The beginner should now see the first shape of the Catholic faith: God creates, commands, judges, promises, redeems, sanctifies, and gathers His people into one Church for salvation.