Pope Francis’s Pentecost message
for ecumenical prayer movement
Pope Francis shares a Pentecost message for “Thy Kingdom
Come”, an annual global ecumenical prayer movement promoted by the Right
Reverend Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury.
By Fr. Benedict Mayaki, SJ
Pope Francis has recorded a video message to be broadcast as
part of the Pentecost service of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Right Reverend
Justin Welby, on Pentecost Sunday.
Pentecost celebrates the moment when the Holy Spirit
descended on the Apostles. One of the gifts they received was the gift of
tongues that allowed people from all over the then-known world to understand
the Apostles’ proclamation. Because of this, many consider the period between
the Feasts of the Ascension and Pentecost as a time of prayer for Christian
unity. The “Thy Kingdom Come” prayer movement, promoted by Archbishop Welby,
has made this period a special time for Christians to unite in prayer for the
evangelization of the world.
About Thy Kingdom Come
“Thy Kingdom Come” is a prayer initiative for Christian
unity that started in 2016. Since then, it has grown to become a global
ecumenical movement. In 2019, Christians from 172 countries took part in
praying “Come Holy Spirit” so that more people may come to have faith in Jesus
Christ.
This is the second time that the Pope Francis has
contributed a video message for the “Thy Kingdom Come” movement. Last year for
the first time, Pope Francis recorded an impromptu video message at the
invitation of the Archbishop of Canterbury during a retreat organized in the
Vatican for political and religious leaders from South Sudan.
The Pope’s Message
Pope Francis’s message contrasted God “infecting” the world
with life at Pentecost with the “deadly virus” that has ravaged the world amid
the coronavirus pandemic.
He notes that on the day of Pentecost, people who spoke
different languages assembled and encountered each other. But in these past
months, we have been required to keep our distance from one another. Still, the
Holy Spirit, the Comforter, assures us of God’s closeness and gives us the
consolation that brings strength even amid suffering.
The Pope also expressed the desire that Christians may be
more deeply united as “witnesses of mercy” for the human family in a world
experiencing a “famine of hope.” He prayed that, through the Holy Spirit who
bestows wisdom and good counsel, those charged with making decisions may be
inspired to “defend human life and the dignity of work.”
Pope Francis warns that we have been “isolated and anaesthetized
before the cry of the poor and the devastation of our planet.” He prays that,
like the people who repented after Peter, prompted by the Spirit, spoke to them
on the day of Pentecost, we too may see the need to “turn back to God and our
neighbour”.
“We need to be united in facing all these pandemics that are
spreading,” said the Pope. “Not only that of the virus, but also those of
hunger, war, contempt for life, and indifference to others.”
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