The Feast of Pentecost in the Jewish Tradition

The Feast of Pentecost in the Jewish tradition is a feast to remember the Law (the Torah) given by God to Moses on Mount Sinai on tablets of stone.  Like other words starting with 'pent' (for example, pentagon meaning a five-sided shape, or pentathlon meaning a five-part sporting event) the word Pentecost has links to the number five.  In Jewish tradition, the Torah is also known as the Pentateuch, which is the first five books of the Hebrew scriptures (Genesis, Exodus, Deuteronomy, Leviticus and Numbers.) The feast was also celebrated 50 days after Passover.  

The Feast of Pentecost in the Christian Tradition

We read in the New Testament (A ts 2:1-13) that it was the same Feast of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit descended upon the Apostles.  Pentecost is the birthday of the Church! Whereas in the Jewish tradition, the day marks the giving of the Law to Moses on tablets of stone, Christians celebrate the gift, not of the law, but the law-giver, the Holy Spirit.  This fulfils the promise of God given to the Prophet Ezekiel when God said:

"I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh." (Ezekiel 36:26)

In this era of the Holy Spirit this is, the era of the Church - like the Apostles we welcome the Holy Spirit into our hearts so that we can know the laws of God, and have His Holy Spirit guide us and encourage us to live out the laws that will bring us to eternal life.  More often than not, receiving the Holy Spirit into our hearts is a calm and peaceful affair, however, it'd be remiss not to mention the dramatic power of the Holy Spirit as described in the book of Acts. 

A Pentecost Novena

Between the Feast of the Ascension and the Feast of Pentecost. These nine days are the time of the original 'novena' (a novena is a tradition of 9 days of prayer). Christians all over the world will be praying a Novena to the Holy Spirit. "Come, Holy Spirit!"