The feast of Pentecost is rooted in the celebration of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot, which commemorated, 50 days after Easter, the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai. Mary, the apostles and some disciples were gathered on this occasion.
The Acts of the Apostles (2:1-11) tell of the force with which the wind rushed into the house, then the appearance of tongues of fire that alighted on everyone. All were filled with the Holy Spirit […] and each one expressed himself according to the gift of the Spirit. There is no longer any fear, everyone goes out to joyfully announce the good news of the Resurrection. And the crowd, which thought they were drunk, realizes that all can understand in their own language the message of the wonders that God has done. This event marks the birth of the Church.
Walking under the guidance of the Holy Spirit
In his letter to the Galatians (5:16-25), Saint Paul invites us to walk under the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But, he says, if you let yourself be led by the Spirit, you are not subject to the Law. […]But here is the fruit of the Spirit: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, benevolence, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. In these areas, the Act does not intervene.
Living by the Spirit
Saint Francis de Sales insists on openness to the Holy Spirit: To live according to the Spirit is to do the actions, to say the words and to do the thoughts that the Spirit of God requires of us. (Letter to Sister de Blonay, May 1606) Thus our founders bequeathed to us the formula that concludes our daily prayer: “Spirit of Jesus, come into our souls.”
Big party
It was the founder, Father Henri Chaumont, of the Daughters of St Francis de Sales, who wanted Pentecost to be the great feast of the Society. In fact, we are invited to live by the Spirit of Jesus, benefiting from the teaching of our patron Saint Francis de Sales. In this way we can bear witness in the world to God’s love for each one through gentleness, simplicity, benevolence, patience, goodness, fidelity, self-control, joy and peace, which are Salesian qualities but, let us not forget, fruits of the Spirit. To live by the Spirit in order to please God does not therefore subject us to the Law: it is to live the “All by love, nothing by force” according to the wish of Saint Francis de Sales.
Source: The Feast of Pentecost – Association Saint François de Sales