2026/05/24 SCRIPTURE REFLECTION

Pentecost Sunday

- Caroline Jaros, Coordinator of Liturgy

On Pentecost Sunday, our Lectors proclaim the First Reading in different languages. This is a beautiful reminder that our Church, through the Holy Spirit, is universal. As we hear in the Acts of the Apostles: “We hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God.”

In our Lincoln Park community, visitors and parishioners come to our parish from many different walks of life. And if you’ve ever been to Mass in another country, state, city, or celebrated in another language, you know that, wonderfully, it is still the same Mass. We pray the same prayers and hear the same readings wherever we are. This Pentecost, I encourage you to chat with someone new after Mass, or visit a parish when you travel. You may be surprised by the beautiful reminder that the Church is both familiar and wonderfully universal.

I take great comfort in belonging to this universal Church. Growing up, my family took a lot of road trips, and we would often find ourselves at a local parish along the way. I’ve attended Mass in different countries and languages, and in countries where there are not a lot of Catholics. There are certainly unique churches, customs, and traditions throughout the world, but I am always grateful for the immediate sense of comfort that comes from recognizing the prayers, gestures, and rhythm of the Mass.

It is amazing to see so many different faces and know that we share the same faith. God, through the Holy Spirit, was deliberate in giving the Church this shared language of prayer, worship, and sacrament. After all, the Mass, and our faith, are meant to be shared! 

That is the work of the Holy Spirit: creating unity, home, and comfort through the Church. Our Responsorial Psalm says, “Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.” What a beautiful reminder that, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we are called to go out and help renew the Church and the world.