Pentecost: The Birthday of the Church and the Mission of Every Catholic

 Pentecost 2026

Pentecost reminds us that the Holy Spirit gathers people of many languages, cultures, and backgrounds into one family of faith. The Spirit does not erase our diversity, but unites us in Christ and sends us to continue his mission in the world. Through baptism and confirmation, each of us receives a real role in the Church, because there are no “couch potato Catholics” in the body of Christ.

Listen to homily here:

Read homily here:

Let’s begin with a little bit of Catholic trivia.

Can anybody guess when this church building was first constructed? The answer is nineteen thirty-nine. We know that because if you enter by the hall doors, you can see that date marked in the concrete. That is when this church building was finally built.

But the parish itself is quite a bit older. Can anybody guess when St. Peter’s Parish was established? Eighteen sixty. This is actually the third church building our parish has had. The first two were down on Columbia Street, just down the hill. The second church was a wooden structure, and shortly before this building was constructed, a windstorm ripped the steeple right off. Eventually, the parish moved up here.

So the building dates to nineteen thirty-nine. The parish dates to eighteen sixty. But how old is the Church itself?

Today, on Pentecost Sunday, we often speak of the birthday of the Church. On this great feast, we have an opportunity not only to think about the gift of the Holy Spirit, but also to consider what the Holy Spirit does for us. The Holy Spirit gathers us together as a community, as the family of God.

This comes across beautifully in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles. Acts tells the story of how, through the gift of the Spirit, the early Church is born and becomes a united family made up of many different people.

We are used to speaking about Pentecost as a Christian feast. But Pentecost was already a Jewish feast. That is why there were so many Jews from different parts of the world gathered in Jerusalem. In the Jewish tradition, Pentecost, or Shavuot, was associated with the giving of the Law to Israel through Moses on Mount Sinai. That giving of the Law, and Israel’s entrance into covenant with God, was seen as a foundational moment in the life of God’s people.

In that sense, it is fitting that, after the resurrection of Jesus, the Church is born on Pentecost. Just as Israel was gathered into covenant, so now the Church is gathered by the Holy Spirit into a new covenant community.

We see this in the detail from Acts that people from many different nations hear Peter preaching, and each one hears him in his own language. Luke is showing us a kind of reversal, or undoing, of the Tower of Babel.

In Genesis, the story of Babel describes how human pride and sin lead to division. The people are scattered. Their language is confused. They become divided from one another. We can read that story as a piece of ancient folklore that communicates a deep theological truth: sin divides human beings. Sin damages relationships. Sin turns difference into separation, tension, and conflict.

Pentecost is the undoing of Babel. The people do not all suddenly become the same. They do not all speak one identical language. Rather, in their diversity, they are able to understand the one message of the Gospel. The Holy Spirit does not erase their differences. The Holy Spirit unites them.

That is what the Church is meant to be. We are a united family, brought together through baptism and the gift of the Holy Spirit. We are united in our diversity.

We experience that here at St. Peter’s. Our parish community is made up of people from many countries, cultures, languages, and backgrounds. Some of us grew up speaking English. Many of us did not. Some of us were born here. Many of us came from somewhere else. Yet we are not strangers to one another. We are brothers and sisters in Christ. We are one family of God.

Pentecost, then, is the story of how the Holy Spirit creates the Church as a family. The Spirit gathers us together and unites us, not because we are all the same, but because we all belong to Christ.

But the Holy Spirit does more than gather us. The Holy Spirit also sends us.

The Church is not only a family. The Church is a family on mission.

This is clear throughout the Acts of the Apostles. Acts is really part two of Luke’s Gospel. In the Gospel, Luke tells us what Jesus did: he proclaimed the kingdom of God, forgave sins, healed the sick, welcomed sinners, and reached out to those on the margins. In Acts, after the gift of the Holy Spirit, the early Church continues the mission of Jesus. Luke wants to show that the life and work of Jesus continue in the life and work of the Church.

We see the same thing in the Gospel for Pentecost. Jesus comes to the disciples in the upper room. He offers them his peace. He breathes on them and gives them the Holy Spirit. Then he sends them out.

This is important for us to remember, especially when we think about confirmation. At baptism, we become members of the Church. In confirmation, the gift of the Holy Spirit is strengthened in us so that we can more fully take up the mission of Jesus.

Some of you may remember your own confirmation. I will not ask how long ago it was. But you may remember the bishop or priest anointing your forehead with chrism and saying, “Be sealed with the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Then he says, “Peace be with you.”

Some may even remember that, in the past, after confirmation, the bishop or priest gave the person being confirmed a light slap on the cheek. When I was confirmed, it was just a very light tap. But the gesture had a meaning. It was connected to the old image of knighthood. A knight was given a mission and was struck lightly as a sign to wake up, stand ready, and take up that mission.

That is a helpful image. In confirmation, we receive the Holy Spirit and are sent on mission. It is as if the Church says to us: Wake up. You have received the Spirit. Now go and live the mission of Jesus.

The Holy Spirit gives us the mission to become holy. The Spirit slowly transforms us so that we can become more like Christ. The Spirit teaches us to love like Christ, to forgive like Christ, and to build up right relationships with God and neighbour.

But the Spirit also sends us outward. We are called to continue building up the kingdom of God. We are called to carry on the mission of Jesus in our own time and in our own place.

And in this family on mission, each of us matters. Each of us has a role to play.

Paul communicates this beautifully in the second reading. One of his favourite images for the Church is the body of Christ. This is such a rich image. It means that we are not simply a collection of individuals. We belong to one another. We are connected in a living way. When one part of the body suffers, all suffer. When one part is honoured, all rejoice.

It also means that every part of the body matters. Each part has a role. Each part contributes something necessary. In the same way, each of us has a role to play in the Church.

Pope Francis, our late Pope Francis, had a gift for memorable phrases. Early in his pontificate, he preached about how each of us must get involved in the Church, especially because of the gift of the Holy Spirit received in confirmation. He said that there are no “couch potato Catholics.”

That image has always stayed with me. Sometimes we can become passive in the Church. We can feel as though we simply show up and sit there. Of course, people go through different seasons in life. Sometimes we are tired. Sometimes we are struggling. Sometimes the most we can do is pray.

But even prayer is part of the mission. Even quiet faithfulness matters. Each of us has received gifts. Each of us is a unique part of the body of Christ. Each of us is called to participate in the mission of Jesus in our own particular way.

So today, on Pentecost Sunday, we celebrate the birthday of the Church. We celebrate the Holy Spirit who gathers us into one family. We celebrate the Spirit who unites us in our diversity. And we celebrate the Spirit who sends us on mission.

Pentecost also invites us to remember our own baptism and confirmation. Confirmation is, in a sense, our own anniversary of becoming active members of the Church, members who take ownership of the mission of Jesus and seek to participate in it.

As we celebrate Pentecost, let us pray that the gift of the Holy Spirit will be stirred up in our lives. May the Spirit make us more like Christ. May the Spirit unite us more deeply as a community. And may the Spirit help each and every one of us continue the mission of Jesus in the world. 

Why Jesus Had to Leave: The Ascension, Pentecost, and Becoming the Body of Christ

 Ascension 2026

The Ascension can seem strange at first because we are celebrating Jesus leaving his disciples behind. Yet Jesus leaves not to abandon us, but so that we can grow into his mission and become his presence in the world. As we prepare for Pentecost, we ask for hearts open to the Holy Spirit, who makes us the Body of Christ and empowers us to continue Jesus’ work.

Listen to homily:

Read Homily:

A few days ago, I was at a meeting with a group of priests. During a coffee break, we began talking about how challenging it can be to preach during the time after Easter and before Pentecost, especially at weekday Masses.

Of course, this is a time of celebration. We celebrate the resurrection of Jesus. But during this season, we also hear many readings from Jesus’ farewell discourse in the Gospel of John. This discourse takes place at the Last Supper, and the Gospel, for many days, often sounds something like this: Jesus says to his followers, “I am about to go back to the Father. You will see me no longer.” Then he speaks about what he will do for them. He will send the Spirit. He will not leave them alone.

So one day you preach about how Jesus is about to go to the Father and send the Spirit. Then the next day comes along, and once again the Gospel says that Jesus is about to go to the Father and send the Spirit. And this continues, sometimes for what feels like week after week.

An older priest from Newfoundland was there, and he has an incredible sense of humour. He said, “At a certain point, you just want to say, ‘Jesus, would you just leave already?’”

It is funny, but it also points to something important. When we celebrate the Ascension, we are celebrating Jesus leaving. Just think about that for a moment. The Ascension is the celebration of Jesus leaving his disciples behind.

How is that something to celebrate?

When we think about the Ascension, we might ask ourselves: Would it not be better if Jesus had stayed? Would it not be better if Jesus were still here with us in the same way he was with his first disciples?

Imagine that Jesus had not ascended. Where would he live? Maybe he would live at St. Peter’s in Rome. Maybe he would live in Jerusalem. Maybe he would live in Hawaii. I am not sure. But it might seem more convenient if Jesus were still physically present somewhere in the world.

Then we would never have to struggle with doubts about the resurrection. We could see Jesus on television. Maybe he would give public audiences. We could actually see the man who had risen from the dead.

And when we had problems, struggles, or difficulties, when we did not know what to do as a Church, we could simply pick up the phone and call Jesus. He could give us instructions. There would be no need to think things through, to discern, to debate, or to take responsibility.

At first, it seems like it would have been better if Jesus had stayed.

But the Ascension is good news. It is good for us that Jesus leaves in this way because his departure allows us to develop, to grow, and to become more like him.

A few days ago, I was with another group, this time with teachers, and we were talking about the Ascension in relation to the first day of school. The first day of school is always exciting, especially for children beginning kindergarten. Parents bring their children to school, and it is often an emotional moment. The children cling to their parents, and the parents cling to their children.

Eventually, though, the teacher has to say, “Okay, parents, that is it. It is time to get back into your cars and drive away.”

The parents know this too. They cannot stay beside their children forever. If they did, their children would not grow. They would not develop. They would not gain independence. They would not mature.

Something similar is true for us with Jesus.

If Jesus remained with us in the same visible, physical way, we might remain spiritually stunted. We might never grow into the mission he has given us. Jesus goes to the Father so that we can grow. He leaves so that we can become more like him.

Jesus gives us his mission. He sends us to make disciples of all nations. He calls us to teach others to follow his way of life. He sends us to build up the kingdom of God, to work for a world that is more just, more peaceful, more loving, and more faithful to God.

If Christ had not left us in this way, we would not have the same opportunity to grow into that mission. We would not be called in the same way to become his presence in the world.

There is a beautiful prayer often associated with St. Teresa of Ávila that expresses this well:

Christ has no body but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
Compassion on this world,
Yours are the feet with which he walks to do good,
Yours are the hands, with which he blesses all the world.
Yours are the hands, yours are the feet,
Yours are the eyes, you are his body.
Christ has no body now but yours,
No hands, no feet on earth but yours,
Yours are the eyes with which he looks
compassion on this world.
Christ has no body now on earth but yours.

This is why the Ascension is for our good. Jesus leaves so that his mission can continue through us. He goes to the Father so that we can receive the Spirit. He departs in one way so that he can be present to us in a new and powerful way.

And this is important: Jesus has not abandoned us.

When we say that Jesus ascended into heaven, we might wonder, “Where did he go?” I remember once speaking with my niece when she was younger, and she asked me that same question: “Where is Jesus now? Where is heaven?”

It is a difficult question to answer. Is Jesus somewhere at the edge of the Milky Way? Is he on some distant planet, sitting beside God the Father? That is not quite what we believe.

We believe that Jesus is risen from the dead. We believe that Jesus has a real, glorified body. But his risen body is unlike the bodies we know now. Jesus has not gone away from earth as though he had climbed into a spaceship and disappeared. His presence among us has changed.

In the Ascension, Jesus becomes present to us in new ways. He is with the Father, but he is also still with us.

We encounter Christ in the sacraments, especially in the Eucharist. We encounter Christ in his Word. We encounter Christ in the community gathered in his name. Jesus tells us, “Where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them.”

Christ is still present in his Church. Christ is still present in his people. Christ is still present in the world, not less powerfully, but in a new way.

So today we celebrate the Ascension. We celebrate Jesus leaving his disciples behind, but not abandoning them. We celebrate Jesus going to the Father so that he can send the Spirit. We celebrate Jesus entrusting his mission to us so that we can grow, mature, and become his body in the world.

And as we prepare for Pentecost next Sunday, we are invited to open our hearts once again to the gift of the Holy Spirit.

Jesus leaves, and he sends the Spirit. The Spirit lives in us. The Spirit binds us together as the Body of Christ. The Spirit gives us the strength to continue Jesus’ mission.

Let us pray in a special way today that we will be ready to receive that gift again, and that through the Spirit, we may become more fully the presence of Christ in the world.

The Holy Spirit, Our Advocate: A Mother’s Day Reflection on God’s Presence With Us

 6 Sunday Easter, Year A

On Mother’s Day, we give thanks for mothers, grandmothers, and all those who have cared for us with patience, sacrifice, and love. Jesus promises in the Gospel that he will not leave his disciples orphaned, but will send the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, to remain with them and strengthen them. The faithful love of mothers helps us glimpse the deeper mystery of the Holy Spirit, who nurtures, guides, supports, and gives us life.

Listen to homily here:

Read homily:

This past week, we had a little bit of excitement here in the church during our weekday Masses. I think it was Wednesday. I was celebrating Mass, and I began to notice that everyone was looking up at the rafters. Some young people in the church were even starting to take out their phones to take pictures, because we had a bird flying around the church, high up along the rafters.

We waited until the end of Mass. The bird stayed up there for a while, and eventually we were able to open the doors at the back and chase it out. It seemed to like going into the choir loft, but finally we got it outside.

Then the next day, I came to celebrate Mass again, and this time there were two birds in the church. One was flying along the rafters, but the other was a little more aggressive and came quite close to me. I wondered what I had done to offend it. It even started resting on these trees here in the sanctuary. Then, at a certain moment, I saw that it had landed right on the top of the tabernacle.

When I went and looked more closely, I noticed something I do not think I had ever really noticed before. On the top of the tabernacle, there is an image of the Holy Spirit. So there was this bird, perhaps a little more aggressive than the Holy Spirit, standing right beside the image of the Holy Spirit.

It was a good reminder of the season we are in now in the Church. We are celebrating the resurrection of Jesus. Soon we will celebrate the Ascension. And we are preparing for Pentecost, when we celebrate again and recognize the gift of the Holy Spirit, who comes to dwell within us.

Jesus speaks about this gift of the Holy Spirit in the Gospel today. The Gospel is taken from Saint John’s Gospel, from a section that some people call Jesus’ last will and testament.

You know how, in movies, someone is about to die, and they call together the people closest to them? They are on their deathbed, and when that happens in a movie, we know the person is about to say something important. We know we should pay attention.

Jesus is doing something similar in the Gospel today. He has gathered his closest followers after the Last Supper. In this section of John’s Gospel, Jesus does three important things.

First, Jesus gives consolation to his followers. He knows he is about to be arrested and put to death. He wants to encourage them, strengthen them, and give them hope for what lies ahead.

Second, Jesus reminds them of his most important teaching. Close to today’s Gospel, Jesus says, “Love one another as I have loved you.” He tells them to keep his commandments. And in John’s Gospel, this central commandment is the commandment of love: to love others with the sacrificial love with which Christ has loved us.

Third, Jesus appoints a successor. Jesus says that he is going back to the Father, but he will not leave his disciples orphaned. He will send the Holy Spirit to be with them.

This is the role of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, in our lives. The Holy Spirit is sometimes the person of the Trinity whom we ignore or do not speak about very much. Yet the Holy Spirit is the presence of God in our hearts and in our lives. When Jesus ascends to the Father, the Holy Spirit is God’s presence dwelling in our hearts, keeping us together as a community, and assisting us to continue the mission of Jesus.

In the Gospel today, Jesus gives us some helpful ways to understand who the Holy Spirit is. He gives us language and images to help us wrap our minds around this mystery.

Jesus calls the Holy Spirit the Advocate.

That is a word we sometimes use today for a lawyer, or for someone who defends another person in court. As many of you know, courtroom television shows have always been popular. Law & Order was popular some time ago. More recently, there was Suits. But I grew up often watching reruns of Matlock.

I do not know if anyone remembers that show. What was so interesting about Matlock was that he was this elderly gentleman of a lawyer. He had a caring, grandfatherly quality. He could be a bit curmudgeonly at times, but he was always looking for what was right. When he found someone in need, he stood by that person. He advocated for them. He helped them until justice was done.

This image of the Holy Spirit as Advocate is a particularly helpful way to understand the Spirit. Jesus speaks about his followers going out into the world, where they will encounter difficulties and struggles as they carry out his mission.

We, too, as we journey through life, are in need. We encounter trials. We encounter opposition. We encounter the ordinary challenges of daily life. And the Holy Spirit is our Advocate: the one who is with us in the courtroom, so to speak; the one who speaks on our behalf; the one who strengthens us and assists us, especially in times of need.

Jesus also uses the image of not being orphaned. The Holy Spirit is with us so that we are not left alone when Jesus returns to the Father.

Jesus came, especially in John’s Gospel, to make us sons and daughters of God. He came to make us brothers and sisters of Jesus, members of the same family, with God as our Father, who gives us his very life. When Jesus leaves, he does not leave us orphaned. The Holy Spirit is God’s presence in our lives.

It is providential that we hear this reading as we celebrate Mother’s Day. On this weekend, we congratulate, celebrate, and give thanks to God for the gift of our mothers, our grandmothers, and all those who have cared for us in our lives.

One way we can consider the mystery of the Holy Spirit is by thinking about our own mothers. So I invite each of us to take a moment, perhaps in silence, to picture our own mother. Or perhaps it is a grandmother, or another person in our life who cared for us in a motherly way.

Think about the way mothers care for us. Think about the sacrifices they make, the way they remain close to us, the way they give of themselves in order to give us life. Think about how, whatever happens in our lives, our mothers are there to help us and support us.

Perhaps our mothers are still with us. Perhaps they have already passed away. On this Mother’s Day, we pray for all our mothers, especially those who have died, and we give thanks to God for the gift of our mothers in our lives.

When Jesus describes the Holy Spirit as the one who does not leave us orphaned, I think we can understand this in a deeper way by considering the love of our mothers. Mothers care for us. They nurture us. They remain with us. They sacrifice for us. In an even greater way, the Holy Spirit is with us in our lives, to guide us, support us, strengthen us, and give us life.

This weekend, then, as we prepare our hearts for the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, we remind ourselves that the Holy Spirit is this great gift of God in our lives. The Holy Spirit is our Advocate. The Holy Spirit is the one who does not leave us orphaned.

People often describe the Holy Spirit as the forgotten person of the Trinity. The Spirit can be hard to describe, but the Spirit is so important and so vital in our lives. As we continue the celebration of Easter and approach Pentecost, we pray that we may receive a renewed grace of the Holy Spirit, a renewed understanding and appreciation of the Holy Spirit, who is God present among us.