How do you celebrate Pentecost? In years past, my tradition consisted of showing up to Sunday Mass, glancing at the bulletin, and thinking, “Is it Pentecost already? I should have worn my red dress.”
Why does this day so often sneak up on us, unheralded? Is it in part because, unlike Christmas and Easter, there is no secular, consumerist hype about it? The stores have cleared out their Easter candy at 75% off and already brought in Fourth of July paraphernalia. The shelves are not graced by white Marshmallow Peep doves in honor of the Holy Ghost; the aisle end-caps proclaim no special sales on spicy foods to give you a “tongue of fire”. But if the holiday is untainted by consumerism, we should at least be hyping it up in our parishes. Alas, the Holy Ghost appears to often be underappreciated by many Catholics.
I want to reflect for a moment on the liturgical history of Pentecost, which will hopefully shed light on how this high feast of the Third Person of the Holy Trinity is sometimes neglected—and then I will move on to the fun part: how to party properly for Pentecost.
Like everything in the Catholic Faith, it starts with the law of the Old Testament, which is always to be fulfilled and not abolished (cf Matt 5:17). In Exodus 34:18-23, God commanded His people to sacrifice and make pilgrimage three times per year: once at the Feast of Unleavened Bread or Passover, once at the wheat harvest or Feast of Weeks seven weeks later, and once at the Feast of Booths in the autumn. The Feast of Weeks was also referred to in Greek as Pentecost or “fifty days”.
The book of Acts records how the Apostles gathered together in the upper room at the time of Pentecost, waiting to receive the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:1ff), as Jesus promised before he ascended to the Father (Acts 1:1-8). Once they received the Spirit, the first Christians were able to preach to all nations—immediately, with their infused tongues, as well as ever after in their successors throughout the world.
That coming of the Holy Spirit is as important an event as the Paschal Sacrifice or the birth of Jesus; they are all key moments in the mighty work of the Trinitarian mission (CCC 257-58). Pentecost, the Catechism explains, inaugurated the “end times” with “the manifestation of the Church” and “on that day, the Holy Trinity is fully revealed” (CCC 726, 732). Therefore, Pentecost has always been celebrated from the earliest centuries as a day nearly equal with Easter, and at least on a level with Christmas and Epiphany.
For hundreds of years leading up to the liturgical reforms of the 1960s, Pentecost included a special vigil Mass the night before and an octave during the week after. The octave contained the summer Ember Days, which were instituted to pray and fast for soon-to-be-ordained priests, but also partly to give thanks for the wheat harvest, neatly in continuity with the original Feast of Weeks. Historically, the Monday after Pentecost, and possibly more days that week, were also holy days of obligation and of celebration.
In the new calendar, the Pentecost vigil still exists, though the extended version—with several prophetic readings, similar to the Easter vigil—is rarely celebrated in parishes, probably due to the custom of having an anticipated Sunday Mass on Saturday evenings. The Monday following Pentecost Sunday was nothing in particular for a few decades, until it recently became the feast of Mary, Mother of the Church. The octave, of course, is gone. In short, Pentecost is treated more as a one-day event that closes the season of Easter, rather than a major feast in its own right.
Culturally, too, there is little awareness of this great day. When it was a holy day of obligation, the Monday after Pentecost was also a public holiday in many places. Today, some nations in Europe keep this up, sometimes under the name “Whit Monday,” but often with its origins and meaning relatively forgotten. The United States never even had that.
But there is a better way.
Rev. Francis X. Weiser, S. J., in his Handbook of Christian Feasts and Customs, explains that our forebears celebrated Pentecost with a variety of traditions, some of which we can adopt today in our homes and parishes. I do not recommend the one where people dropped flaming bits of straw or wick from a hole in the ceiling of the church; as Rev. Weiser notes, “This practice … tended to put the people on fire externally, instead of internally as the Holy Spirit had done at Jerusalem.” But we could safely make little paper doves and hang them up in our homes, perhaps from a ceiling fan (a mighty rushing wind, no?).
Christmas has its customs of decorating with greenery and specific colors; why not Pentecost? Some medieval Catholics referred to Pentecost as the “flower feast” or “feast of roses” because of their custom of decorating with spring and summer flowers. We can easily adopt this, decorating with seasonal flowers, especially those that come in white, red, pink, orange, or yellow, to symbolize the fiery beauty of the Holy Ghost.
The priest wears red vestments for Pentecost; we can also wear red, representing fire and the love of the Holy Ghost. White is also appropriate; it is the Church’s color for joy, and it is the color the newly baptized wear, those who have just received the Holy Spirit for the first time. (Historically, the Pentecost vigil, like the Easter vigil, was a time for baptizing catechumens, hence the name “Whitsunday” or “White Sunday” in England.) Continuing the theme, we can use red or white table linens. We can light candles for dinner and sing the Veni Creator Spiritus together before feasting.
Speaking of feasting, we in the Latin church could imitate the Byzantine custom of blessing grains and pastries before the Pentecost vigil (which, of course, we should celebrate in every parish with great pomp), to reflect the Old Testament thanksgiving for the wheat crop. Let us fast or make some penitent gesture on the Eve of Pentecost and on the Ember Days that follow it, but feast on the blessed bread on the day itself.
Our forebears also used Pentecost as a day for games and races. If Easter has its egg hunts, why not Pentecost its potato sack races? Why not adopt the British custom of chasing after a rolling wheel of cheese (or maybe an old tire)? Depending on where you live and how late Pentecost falls, it might even be warm enough to throw water balloons at each other (Pentecost was also one of the traditional days for baptism). Hand out sparklers! Get a head start on the fireworks! This feast is more important than any Independence Day.
There is one final custom I encourage, one that has little historical basis but which I hope will become a popular tradition. For the past three years, I have thrown a very special, though simple, party for Pentecost: a bonfire, festive food and drink, singing, and the reading of poetry. My reasoning for the fire and feasting should be obvious; my reasoning for the poetry and song is that the Holy Ghost inspires such things. In the early chapters of St. Luke’s Gospel, there are three canticles—that is, chanted songs or poems: the Canticle of Zechariah, the Magnificat, and the Canticle of Simeon. Shortly before each of these canticles, the phrase “being filled with the Holy Spirit” is always found. And we know that the Holy Ghost inspired the writing of all of Scripture, including the many Psalms and Canticles contained therein.
What better way to celebrate the Third Person of the Trinity, once the formal liturgies are done, than with music and beautiful words? And reciting or chanting poetry around a fire is a deeply human and wholesome activity that is not done nearly enough. Catholicism gives us a rich heritage of poems that deserve to be proclaimed aloud, from the explicitly religious (such as Gerard Manley Hopkins’s “God’s Grandeur”, very appropriate for the Feast of the Holy Ghost) to the secular (Belloc and Chesterton wrote some very funny poems). If, as the evening wears on, someone wants to read a bit of Shel Silverstein’s hilarious verse or even gain the courage to share some lines of his own, will the Trinity be displeased? I doubt it.
We live in the Time—the end times!—after Pentecost. We have been baptized and confirmed, receiving the incomprehensible gift of the Holy Spirit, poured out upon us in so many ways, both subtle and dramatic, but all too easily ignored. In gratitude, let us celebrate this important day both in our parishes and our domestic churches, that the Holy Spirit will be honored to the best of our ability.
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Come O Holy Spirit and renew the face of the Earth. Happy feast of Pentecost.
I mean, the Solemnity of the Ascension should be a pretty big reminder that Pentecost is coming. Beyond that, though, part of the problem is we don’t have the same sense of Easter as a season that we do for Lent. Throughout Lent, we’re aware of the penitential spirit, of the 40 days, of the acts of self-denial or sacrifice that we’ve undertaken—but somehow Easter, even more than Christmas, tends to fade from consciousness after the big day. Pentecost is the climax of the Easter season, so we need an awareness of the Easter season to build proper anticipation for Pentecost.
I preached a homily on this a few weeks ago. It wasn’t until I preached it that I learned that my daughter Sarah had written an essay on the same subject for Homiletic & Pastoral Review.
Hello, Mr. SDG! I read Sarah’s piece about Easter recently, between writing this one and its publication. I wholeheartedly agree; while the secular world seems to take the partying of Mardi Gras, St. Patrick’s Day, and other select holidays too far and in the wrong direction while neglecting penance, we Catholics seem to neglect celebration while keeping some shreds of penance alive. Penance is crucial, of course. But Heaven will be a great wedding feast, and we need foretastes of that on this earth to foster our joy and gratitude.
Yes, the Ascension should be a big reminder. Do you think the fact that most dioceses in the U.S. have moved Ascension Thursday to the following Sunday helps to cause this lack of awareness of Pentecost? Or that the Ascension is not emphasized enough even when moved to a Sunday? I generally try hard to go to Mass on Ascension Thursday itself and then pray the Holy Spirit novena for the next nine days, and that definitely builds the anticipation for Pentecost!
Anyway, thank you for reading and commenting!
That’s a fascinating question, Rachel: The theory is that shifting the Ascension from Thursday to Sunday gives it more visibility, but what if the actual effect is the opposite? What if it becomes just another Sunday? And, yes, the loss of the natural novena also undermines anticipation for Pentecost. Alas.
Dear Rachel,
The way you have written shows a loving heart and a desire to draw the people of God together in celebrating our commemoration of the birth of Christianity, in Jerusalem, during Pentecost celebrations, immediately after Jesus had ascended in glory. As you say, the outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit on those gathered in the upper room, and its eternal consequences, is little understood and celebrated by too many Catholics.
Being touched by your evident good will and your very positive communality in simply embellishing one more big celebration in our liturgical year, one is reluctant to introduce a corrective Gospel perspective. Hoping you’ll understand why this is needed. Here is a reflection about all our liturgical feasts & festivals, not just Pentecost:
Paul queried the church in Galatia: “I would like to learn just one thing from you: did you receive the Holy Spirit by observing the Law, or by believing what you heard? Are you so foolish? After beginning with the Holy Spirit, are you now trying to attain your goal by human effort? (Galatians 3:2-3)
“. . how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable principles? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years! I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you.” (Galatians 4:9-11)
For millions of Catholics like me, who’ve had a Pauline adult born again encounter with Jesus Christ, every day (365 per annum) is one of salvation under His Precious Blood; every day is one of fresh infilling by His Holy Spirit. For us, minute by minute, God is with us, teaching, correcting, and working miracles both great and small. His joy in us has no limits.
This is something that is uniquely available for sincere followers of Christ. All the other religions have their own annually repeated cycles of feasts and festivals, etc.
Obviously, it’s too much to hope for a transformation of the massively incorporated structure of Catholic traditional liturgical feasts and cycles. There are too many vested interests. However, each of us could seek to have a personal Pentecost every day of our life. Holy Spirit filled, we can participate in Church celebrations without the dangers of spiritual reliance on the religiosity (or even legalism) of repetitive rituals. “It is for freedom that Christ has set us free!”
Thanks again, Rachel, for your article. I support your proposal for making Pentecost more fruitful in our church year; as well as in our lives, all of the year.
Always in the loving mercy of Jesus Christ; blessings from marty
It was Pentecost Sunday yesterday in Australia. We much enjoyed participating in a lovely Holy Mass with a priest who loves King Jesus Christ & faithfully witnesses to His teachings & rejoices in the gift of God’s Holy Spirit. The musicians did good work, too.
It was wholesome and dignified. Yet, we were far from engaging in the whole-hearted and extended celebrations that Rachel Hoover so rightly advocates. Our Holy Mass was, as usual, just under an hour long and followed a common format found throughout the Church in Aus.
Time & repetition seem to have worn us down! Like a favorite kitchen utensil that’s lost all its colorful embellishments & even some of its functionality; we retain it out of familiarity. The wild fire & passionate commitment of the original Pentecost has well & truly dissipated. Are its only semblance today to be found in transient Pentecostal assemblies?
No! Surprisingly, the normally very staid, controlled, & long-established Anglicans have done the impossible by retaining an organization that is very similar to our Catholic Church yet they have succeeded in braiding it with the fresh fire of Pentecostal music, dance, evangelism, inclusive leadership, & spiritual ministries.
Catholic hierarchs usually say that Pentecostal-style revival is a step too far (too much trouble?). Yet one wonders if God may not be giving us Catholics a nudge to say: “With My Holy Spirit in you, nothing is beyond your reach . . .” This video is of an exemplary Anglican Pentecostal celebration in Birmingham, England. It is filled with the joy and involvement Rachel wants us to have.
Is This It? — Tim Hughes | Gas Street Church – YouTube
The powerfully beneficial role of holy women in it is much worth considering. Our clericalists may disdain that but I think Pope Francis would greatly approve.
Ever in the love of Jesus Christ; blessings from marty
It was Pentecost Sunday yesterday in Australia. We much enjoyed participating in a lovely Holy Mass with a priest who loves King Jesus Christ & faithfully witnesses to His teachings & rejoices in the gift of God’s Holy Spirit. The musicians did good work, too.
It was wholesome and dignified. Yet, we were far from engaging in the whole-hearted and extended celebrations that Rachel Hoover so rightly advocates. Our Holy Mass was, as usual, just under an hour long and followed a common format found throughout the Church in Aus.
Time & repetition seem to have worn us down! Like a favorite kitchen utensil that’s lost all its colorful embellishments & even some of its functionality; we retain it out of familiarity. The wild fire & passionate commitment of the original Pentecost has well & truly dissipated. Are its only semblance today to be found in transient Pentecostal assemblies?
No! Surprisingly, the normally very staid, controlled, & long-established Anglicans have done the impossible by retaining an organization that is very similar to our Catholic Church yet they have succeeded in braiding it with the fresh fire of Pentecostal music, dance, evangelism, inclusive leadership, & spiritual ministries.
Catholic hierarchs usually say that Pentecostal-style revival is a step too far (too much trouble?). Yet one wonders if God may not be giving us Catholics a nudge to say: “With My Holy Spirit in you, nothing is beyond your reach . . .” This video is of an exemplary Anglican Pentecostal celebration in Birmingham, England. It is filled with the joy and involvement Rachel wants us to have.
Is This It? — Tim Hughes | Gas Street Church – YouTube
The powerfully beneficial role of holy women in it is much worth considering. Our clericalists may disdain that but I think Pope Francis would greatly approve in any moves towards re-Pentecostalizing our beloved, long-suffering Mother Church.
Ever in the love of Jesus Christ; blessings from marty
Our multi-cultural parish has been celebrating Pentecost with a reading of the epistle by lectors speaking in multiple languages, a procession of children carrying silk flags hand-painted with Gifts of the Spirit in many languages, and the use of rose petals to represent the tongues of fires descending on parishioners as they enter and leave the church. Our new pastor has (without explanation) asked us to stop these practices. We have written a respectful letter asking him to reconsider and are hoping that we may be allowed to continue to celebrate Pentecost in ways we have come to cherish. Your prayers, insights and suggestions would be appreciated.