Page:PracticalCommentaryOnHolyScripture.djvu/786

 way that  the  workings  of  the  Holy  Ghost  abide  in  the  Church,  and will abide  till  the  end  of  time.

The meaning  of  Pentecost.  The  Jewish  Pentecost,  as  explained  in  Old Test. XXXVI, was  a type  of  the  Christian  Pentecost. The object  of the  Jewish  feast  was  to  remind  the  people  of  the  giving  and  writing on stone  of  the  Ten  Commandments  upon  Mount  Sinai. The Christian Whit-Sunday, or  Pentecost,  is  to  remind  us  that  God  the  Holy  Ghost came down  on  the  Church,  and  inscribed  the  law  of  love  on  the  hearts of the  faithful. The Jewish  Pentecost  was  also  the  harvest  festival,  on which  the  first-fruits  of  the  harvest  were  offered  to  God. The Christian Pentecost is  also  a harvest  festival,  though  in  a much  higher  sense,  for on that  day  the  apostles,  as  their  Lord  had  commanded  them  (chapter LXXXI),  came  forward  openly  to  teach  and  to  baptize,  and  by  the assistance of  the  Holy  Ghost  reaped  a rich  harvest,  converting  and baptizing three  thousand  on  that  one  day. Whit-Sunday may  well  be called  the  birthday  of  God’s  holy  Church,  because  1. it was  upon  that day that  the  Holy  Ghost  came  down  on  the  Church  to  remain  with her and  assist  her  in  her  threefold  office  till  the  end  of  time,  and  2. because on that  day  the  Church  was  first  openly  made  manifest,  and  won several thousands  of  souls  for  Christ. The seed  of  corn,  watered  by the  Holy  Ghost,  sprang  up,  and  began  to  spread  itself.

What aspect  did  the  Church  bear  in  those  days? She  appeared  as a visible  body  of  believers,  gifted  and  governed  by  the  Holy  Ghost, with Peter  as  her  visible  head. And for  what  end  was  she  made  manifest among  men? To bring  them  salvation  by  the  preaching  of  the  faith and the  administration  of  the  Sacraments.

The Primacy.  On  Whit-Sunday  Peter  came  forward  as  the  supreme head of  the  Church. As chief  pastor,  he  was  the  first  to  preach  and to bring  the  sheep  into  the  fold.

Proofs of  the  Divinity  of  Jesus  Christ  were  drawn  by  Peter  1. from His Resurrection,  when  he  said:  “That  God  hath  raised  Jesus  from  the dead, we  all  (apostles  and  disciples)  are  witnesses”,  and  not  one  of  the unbelieving Jews  ventured  to  contradict  this  assertion,  or  to  deny  our Lord’s Resurrection;  2. from His  Ascension  into  heaven,  where  He sitteth  at  the  right  hand  of  God;  and  3. by His  sending  down  the Holy Ghost;  for  were  Jesus  not  God,  He  could  not  have  sent  forth the Holy  Spirit.

All sins  are  remitted  by  Baptism.  St.  Peter  declares  this  in  his exhortation to  his  hearers:  “Be  baptized  for  the  remission  of  your  sins.”

The following  prophecies  were  fulfilled  by  the  outpouring  of  the Holy Ghost:  1. That of  Joel  2,  28;  2. that of  Jeremias:  “I  will  give My law  in  their  bowels,  and  I will  write  it  in  their  heart. I will forgive their iniquity,  and  I will  remember  their  sin  no  more”  (Jer.  31,  33.  34; Old  Test.  LXXV);  3. that of  Ezechiel: “I  will  put  My  Spirit  in  you,