Sunday Homily, 24 May 2026 - Fr Paul Rowse, OP

If we said this is “Red Easter”, we’d get a good sense of how the Church regards Pentecost.  The ancient liturgy for this feast was patterned on that of Easter itself.  The feast of the Holy Spirit had its own solemn vigil of readings, an exsultet, sequence, and baptismal liturgy.  Although there was no fire out the front, the Pentecost Vigil had the relighting of the Paschal Candle, after it had been extinguished on Ascension day.

In every reasonable way, Pentecost was observed like Easter.  The Church developed an elaborate liturgy for this great day from the fourth century onwards because of the large numbers of those to be initiated: there needed to be a second entry-point.  So, this is “Red Easter”: thanks to the Holy Spirit, ours is paschal joy renewed.  Ours is the sinners’ feast retaken.  This is the Church’s boast remade and the world’s hope reinforced.

Pentecost looks therefore like the feast of the second chance.  Yesterday had a sense of completion about it.  Yesterday was the seventh day of the seventh week of the resurrection.  The apostles observed a full cycle of weekly cycles in honour of the risen Lord.  But what’s next?  Is it possible that we could be done with Easter? It is unthinkable that we could have finished celebrating the Lord's triumph over sin and death, especially if we are new to the Christian faith.

The Church mirrors Easter at Pentecost because she understands what this feast is for.  We know what it is about.  We know that this is the day when from the lungs of his risen body the Lord of glory breathed forth the Holy Spirit on his chosen ones.  This is the day when the Holy Spirit descended on the disciples in the Upper Room.  But what is it for?  The Holy Spirit was breathed on the apostles for the reconciliation of sinners.  The Holy Spirit descended to tip the disciples out of the Upper Room and make them into witnesses before all the world.

This is the feast for the nations, for all-humanity, that they may know the risen Lord and his mercy, that they will take their places as members of the New Israel, gifted for each others’ good.  We too are drawn into the new covenant by the apostolic preaching.  We too have been added to the sacred company of the jubilant, all so that God’s house will be full.

This is how God has arranged things for us.  Latecomers are welcomed.  Stragglers can be sure of grace-led honour.  In a sense, the whole Church is late to the paschal festivities.  Even the apostles who ran to the tomb on Easter day got there well after it had been vacated.  What God has done in Christ on Easter day is meant for all this Pentecost day.  And so, the Church’s long wait is underway, hoping that what has been heard will be heeded and the grace spoken of will be received.

Today we have the joy of completing the Christian initiation of these our brothers.  We welcome you to full communion with us.  We’re all witnesses to things we haven’t seen for ourselves yet.  We’re all latecomers to a celebration we must host but haven’t called, all because the Holy Spirit has convicted us of the truth about the risen Lord.  This is clearly what has also been happening in you: you are becoming a witness; you are convinced of divine truth.  And so, we give you the Holy Spirit to confirm you.

This is your Pentecost, your “Red Easter” with us.  Our paschal joy is yours.  Our eternal life is yours.  Our spiritual gifts are yours.  May the Holy Spirit of the Father and the Son complete what they began in you and exceed what they set in you, until you come to the life of the blessed as sons of light.