Cardinal Tobin: Come, Holy Spirit. Fill our hearts with the fire of your love!
[Jesus] said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained” (Jn 20:21–23).
My dear sisters and brothers in Christ,
Peace be with you.
In two days, we will celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. The risen Lord sends the Holy Spirit to fill the hearts of his disciples with the fire of God’s love. Like the burning bush described in the Old Testament’s Book of Exodus, the divine fire burns brightly, but it does not consume those whose hearts are set ablaze.
As we read in the Acts of the Apostles,
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim (Acts 2:1–11).
Wind and fire are signs that point to the presence of the Holy Spirit, but as Pope Leo frequently reminds us, there is nothing destructive about God’s power. The gifts of the Holy Spirit build us up. They empower us to serve as bold and courageous witnesses to the nonviolence of God’s grace. The Holy Spirit is also portrayed in sacred scripture as a dove—the universal symbol of peace. The Spirit is compared to a gentle and loving creature, the opposite of a bird of prey, who brings unity and peace to all who welcome him into their hearts.
In his Pentecost Sunday 2025 homily (see selection below), Pope Leo XIV describes the Holy Spirit as a force that “opens borders” in diverse and powerful ways. “The Spirit breaks down barriers and tears down the walls of indifference and hatred,” the pope says, “because he teaches us all things and reminds us of Jesus’ words: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid.’” (cf. Jn 14:26).
We are celebrating Pentecost Sunday this year, mindful that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are needed now more than ever. Too often, our hearts are filled with anger, violence, and duplicity. As the Holy Father reminds us, peace is often far removed from us, and too many regions of our world suffer terribly from the brutal effects of war.
Continue reading Cardinal Tobin’s latest newsletter.
