Fr. David Convertino, OFM
Executive Director of Development
Pentecost. The day the Holy Spirit rushed in like wind, flared up like fire, and turned a scared group of disciples into bold messengers of God’s love. It’s a powerful moment—one that feels almost like a super power movie.
Here’s a question: if Pentecost happened today, would we even notice?
Imagine the modern, crowded, Upper Room of a 60-story building with everyone checking their phones. Notifications are buzzing. News alerts flying. Group chats lighting up. And suddenly—wind! Fire! Tongues! But instead of being amazed and awe struck – someone posts:
“lol what is going on here? #HolyWind, # Wild Party with Effects!”
And yet… that’s exactly where the Spirit shows up.
Not just in a quiet chapel with perfect lighting and Gregorian chant. No, not always.
The Holy Spirit also arrives in the middle of fear, uncertainty, confusion, and a tightly packed room full of flawed but faithful people. People distracted by the worries, pain, losses, and the joys and laughter in our lives.
Sounds a lot like our world, doesn’t it? A lot like your daily life? It sounds like mine.
The twist of Pentecost is this: the Spirit doesn’t wait for things to be neat, polished, or calm. The Spirit blows right through our locked personal doors, cuts through our digital noise, and sets hearts on fire anyway.
The Spirit doesn’t whisper from a distance—it interrupts and often charges into life with brightness and insight.
Francis of Assisi prayed, “Enlighten the darkness of my heart.” That’s a Pentecost prayer if there ever was one.
This Pentecost feast isn’t a past event to remember—it’s a forceful invitation:
- To wake up.
- To speak truth.
- To listen better.
- To be the ones who carry peace into a fractured world and hope into noisy, distracted spaces.
So, this Pentecost, may the fire fall again— even on Zoom calls, subway platforms, country roads,
TIK TOK, You Tube, and in the middle of email chains.
And may we welcome it.
Come, Holy Spirit, come on in!
Many blessings,
Fr. David, OFM
