There are moments that change everything, not slowly, but all at once. For the Apostles, that moment came 50 days after Easter. They were in the Upper Room, praying, waiting, uncertain. They had seen the Risen Jesus, heard His words, but fear still lingered.
Then suddenly, everything changed. A mighty wind swept through. Flames appeared above their heads. This wasn’t just dramatic; it was the Holy Spirit arriving, just as Jesus promised. The Advocate had come, not to inspire from afar, but to live within them. To bring courage, clarity, and strength. And in that moment, they discovered what Pentecost is really about: a Love that refuses to leave us alone. A Love that draws near and makes all things new.
And when that Love came, it didn’t just comfort them; it transformed them. That wind, that fire, it changed them. The same men who had once run away in fear now ran into the streets with courage. They spoke in new languages. They preached with boldness. They healed the sick. They no longer cared if people mocked or threatened them. Something had shifted. Or rather, Someone had come to live within them. That is the power of the Holy Spirit.
But here is the thing: Pentecost is not just a story from 2,000 years ago. It is not just something we talk about once a year and then move on. No, Pentecost is now. The Holy Spirit is still at work, still stirring hearts, still changing lives, still calling us to more. The real question is: are we paying attention?
Because sometimes, let us be honest, we are not. We pray, but we are distracted. We show up at Mass, but we are thinking about everything else. We say the right words, but still hold onto old hurts, pride, or bitterness. We shut the door on God and then wonder why we feel stuck.
And then we hear the words of Jesus in the Gospel: “If you love Me, keep My commandments.” He is not just talking about rules; He is talking about real love. The kind of love that actually changes us. It helps us forgive people, even when they do not deserve it. It helps us stay calm when someone is pushing our buttons. It helps us love people who are difficult, especially the ones under our own roof.
Think about those moments when your group chat is full of drama, or when your parents, siblings, or partner annoy you to no end. It is so easy to snap, stay cold, or hold a grudge. But that is exactly when we need the Holy Spirit the most. Because on our own, we do not have what it takes. But with Him, love becomes possible again.
So what do we do? We pray: “Come, Holy Spirit.” When we are tired, Come, Holy Spirit. When we are stressed, Come, Holy Spirit. When we are tempted, Come, Holy Spirit. It is not magic, it is surrender. It is our way of saying, “Lord, I cannot do this on my own.” And when we really mean it, when we pray with an open heart, He shows up. He stirs things up. He brings healing. He gives us strength we did not know we had.
Need proof? Look at the saints. Take St John Paul II, standing strong in communist Poland, fearlessly preaching the Gospel in the early 1980s. In the midst of an oppressive situation, speaking the words of the Gospel, he unleashed the power of the Holy Spirit. And what did It do? It toppled that godless government in Poland and in time it toppled the oppressiveness of Communism in Europe. That was not just personality. That was the Holy Spirit, alive in him, working through him, changing the world. And that same Spirit is ready to move in us too.
So today, in this Season of Pentecost, let us truly live Pentecost. Ask the Holy Spirit to come into your heart and set it on fire again. Invite Him into your family, your friendships, your struggles, and your dreams. And believe, He will come. Because when the wind of God blows, nothing stays the same. Hearts change. Lives change. We change.
Fr Michael Boudaher is the Secretary General of the Maronite Eparchy of Australia, New Zealand and Oceania, Director of the Maronite Catholic Centre for Evangelisation, and an Assistant Parish Priest at Our Lady of Lebanon Co-Cathedral, Harris Park.