May 20, 2026

By Father William Muench
NCC columnist

Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and they experienced a huge change from anxiety to boldness. These apostles were very much aware that they had a task that Jesus entrusted to them. The Gospels make it clear to us that they felt they did not have the strength nor the ability to even begin.

The picture we get is that these apostles were wounded people; they were experiencing a possible situation. They were wounded by doubt and grief. Such was Judas. He believed in Jesus. He realized that the people loved and supported Jesus. Then everything changed; Jesus was arrested and crucified. Then Judas gave up. He lost faith in Jesus, and he turned against Jesus only to realize how wrong he was, and finally he took his own life. We can only imagine how confusing was this time for the other apostles. They also were wounded; they were touched by fear and failure; they felt inadequate to do anything.

Then Pentecost – the Holy Spirit came to them, and the Holy Spirit brought new life to them. The Holy Spirit demanded that they change, now they must be bold and begin to preach the Gospel. Such a great change must have taken time; it was a gradual change. Growth comes slowly, and it probably was painful. Personally, I know well that letting go of bad attitudes is always difficult.

I have discovered that change demands someone to step in to give new hope and more confidence. What those apostles needed was someone to believe in them. They needed to be shown that this task was possible and necessary. They needed someone to wake up all that was inside of them. They needed someone to make them bold and alive. That someone was to be the Holy Spirit. The power and love of the Holy Spirit transformed those first apostles. And now that power of the Holy Spirit continues to change us today. This gentle power of the Hoy Spirit comes to transform each of us now, to form us into those bold followers of the Lord Jesus, not afraid to bring Jesus to our world.

Today, the Holy Spirit awakens us to the mysterious power within each of us. I know well the many changes that were demanded of me when I was ordained a priest through the power of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit challenged me and continues to do so, that I have much that must be changed to make my ministry better and more successful. That I may be a good priest. Today, that Holy Spirit reaches out to all of us – to each one of you each day – to guide you to be a true disciple of Jesus, always ready to transform our present world with the message of Jesus, acting in the power of the Holy Spirit.

Pentecost is about is today. It must be our story each day. The Holy Spirit wants to change so much. The Holy Spirit wants to transform us. The Holy Spirit wants us to realize that we must change what must be changed. The Holy Spirit has for us the same plan that transformed those first apostles. The Holy Spirit wants us to follow Jesus and change this world of ours to a better and more peaceful place.