Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
Grace and peace to you in the Holy Spirit!
This Pentecost Sunday holds a deeply personal resonance for me—not only because we celebrate the great outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the Church, but also because it marks the 24th anniversary of my Ordination to the Priesthood. Even more humbling is the memory that my very first Mass of Thanksgiving was celebrated on Pentecost Sunday, twenty-four years ago. How fitting it was then, and how fitting it remains now: for I believe that it is the Spirit who called me, who anointed me, and who has carried me every step of the way.
Pentecost is not merely a commemoration of a distant miracle—it is the heartbeat of the Church. It is our birthday, and the fire that descended on the Apostles is the same fire that burns within us today. The Scriptures remind us of the explosive transformation that took place: the timid became bold, the confused found clarity, and the silent found their voices. In an instant, languages were no longer a barrier, and the message of Christ crucified and risen was heard in every tongue. That same Spirit is alive and working among us now.
Every year around this time, I attend the Ordination Masses of new priests. And each time, my heart swells with hope. I see in these young men the same trembling awe I once felt, and still feel. I see the Spirit come upon them, the same Spirit that rested like fire upon the heads of the Apostles. And when I witness their First Mass—their hands still fragrant with sacred chrism—something happens deep within me. It’s as though time folds in on itself, and I am once again that young priest, standing for the first time at the altar, daring to speak the words that make the invisible God present on earth: “This is My Body. This is My Blood.”
To be given such power—to call heaven to earth, to forgive sins, to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim the Gospel with authority and joy—is a mystery that never ceases to leave me in awe. I do not understand it, and yet I have lived it. I have witnessed the Spirit give me words I did not plan, strength I did not possess, and compassion I did not deserve. I have seen hardened hearts melt before the mercy of God, and wandering souls find their way home.
And I have seen this not only in my own life, but in the lives of countless priests and lay faithful. The Holy Spirit is always at work—quietly, steadily, powerfully. He breathes in hospital rooms and confessions, in classrooms and kitchens, in whispered prayers and daring acts of love. The Spirit unites and builds, forgives and heals, speaks and sends.
St. Paul reminds us today that the Spirit gives many gifts—but always for the common good. Whether you are young or old, ordained or lay, single or married, confirmed long ago or just recently—you have been given the Spirit. You are not spectators. You are participants in God’s plan to renew the face of the earth.
To the young people in our parish—especially those who have been confirmed—do not be afraid. The same Spirit who gave courage to Peter, wisdom to Paul, and endurance to the martyrs, longs to move within you. The world needs your fire. The Church needs your “yes.” And perhaps—just perhaps—some of you are being called to the priesthood or consecrated life. Do not let the noise of the world drown out the whisper of the Spirit.
My dear friends, as we gather around the altar this Pentecost, may we feel again that holy wind. May the flame of God’s love burn brighter in our hearts. And may we, like those first Apostles, rush out into the world, speaking the language that every soul understands: the language of love, truth, forgiveness, and joy.
Thank you for walking with me all these years. Thank you for your faith, your prayers, and your love. You—together with so many others the Lord has placed in my life: family, benefactors, and friends—have been the presence of the Holy Spirit to me more times than I can count.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful,
and enkindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit—and we shall be created.
And You shall renew the face of the earth.
In Christ Jesus our Lord,
Msgr. Cuong M. Pham