There are theologians that contend different days as being the birthday of the
Church. Some claim it was on the Last Supper when Christ instituted the Priesthood and the Eucharist. Others contend it was on Good Friday when blood and water gushed forth from the body of our Lord after he died on the Cross. Many contend it was this day, Pentecost Sunday approximately 50 days after the Glorious Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ.
It was on Pentecost that the first Christians were baptized in Jerusalem by the apostles. The first sermon of the Church was delivered by St. Peter which can be found in Acts 2:14-36. As St. Peter delivered his sermon to a crowd in the thousands the apostles were standing with him. He said very directly: Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sins and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. Over three thousand Christians were baptized that day apparently without doing the RCIA.
I have to say that I am sincerely grateful for this past week by having the opportunity of confirming the youth of our parish. Normally, this is done by the bishops. However due to the pandemic this was not possible for all parishes, therefore it was delegated to the priests. I truly felt the Holy Spirit coming upon the youth as the Holy Spirit came upon the Apostles on Pentecost. May the youth who were confirmed experience the love of God that is poured into their hearts by the Holy Spirit. They have been changed just like the apostles were at Pentecost!
On this beautiful feast, let us be completely grateful to Jesus for the gift of His presence here on Earth which is the Church. How grateful I am to God to be a part of the Roman Catholic Church. The Vatican II Document Lumen Gentium states that:
This is the one Church of Christ which in the creed is professed as one, holy, catholic, and apostolic, which our Savior, after His Resurrection, commissioned Peter to shepherd, and him and the other apostles to extend and direct with authority, which He erected for all ages as the “the pillar and mainstay of truth.” This Church, constituted as a society, subsists in the Catholic Church. LG 8
Brothers and sisters when it comes to the Truth of who we are, where we come from, and where he headed towards the Catholic Church has the fullness of it. Our Truth is in Jesus Christ who is Our Head. Although many powerful people, powerful superpowers have tried to destroy the Church they have never succeeded nor will they ever because it is protected by God and His Angels. Instead, it is the largest institution in the world. Blessed Pentecost! Blessed Birthday of the Church!
In Jesus and Mary,
Fr. Jeff Yildirmaz
