By Ivy Chai
KUCHING — Pentecost is celebrated on the seventh Sunday after Easter and 10 days after the feast of the Ascension of Our Lord. The Novena to the Holy Spirit to ask for the gifts of the Holy Spirit and the fruits of the Holy Spirit is prayed over nine days to prepare for Pentecost Sunday.
Parishes in the Archdiocese of Kuching prayed the novena as preparation for a powerful outpouring of the Holy Spirit, culminating with a Charismatic Mass in some Churches on 19 May 2024.
Pentecost Rally
A Pentecost Rally was held at St Joseph’s Cathedral, Kuching in the afternoon of Pentecost Sunday. It was organised by the Archdiocese Charismatic Renewal Team (ACRT).
The Rally opened with Msgr William Sabang, Spiritual Advisor to ACRT acknowledging the presence of the various Prayer Groups in the Archdiocese as proof of the “presence of the power of the Holy Spirit” within the community.
In the opening prayer, he led the charismatic renewal groups to pray for continued blessings, to be strengthened, to “ask for a new Pentecost, new fervour, new zeal, new ways of doing things,” so the archdiocese could grow.
Archbishop Simon Poh in his exhortation, said it was a blessing to see “God bringing so many prayer groups together under the ACRT” and at the same time, working hand-in-hand with the Kuching Archdiocesan Ministry of Deliverance and Exorcism (KAMODE).
Breath of God – ROH KUDUS
Archbishop Simon gave an insight into the history of Pentecost starting from AD 33, the year Jesus died for our salvation. The breath of God is known as “Ruah” in Hebrew. This was translated into Arabic and is now used in Bahasa Malaysia as ROH. We call the Holy Spirit – ROH KUDUS. “As the Father has sent me, I now send you,” Jesus said to his disciples on Pentecost Sunday, after which “he breathed on them and said to them: “Receive the Holy Spirit.” (John 20:19-22)
The Holy Spirit is the same Spirit of Jesus, given to the apostles, the disciples and us today, to continue the mission of Jesus. What Jesus alone did is now entrusted to his disciples and handed down to us in the Church.
The Spirit of Jesus was brought to Sarawak by Christian missionaries in the year 1881. The charismatic renewal movement in the Archdiocese of Kuching started in the kampongs during Archbishop Emeritus Peter Chung’s time.
Archbishop Simon said “everyone can pray, not only the charismatic groups” for at our baptism and confirmation we all received the same Holy Spirit. He urged parents to let “children in the family pray” as we are all children of God.
Celebrating 2000th Year of our Salvation in 2033
When Jesus died in presumably AD 33, he saved us by his precious blood. In 2033 we will celebrate the 2000th year of our salvation, the 2000th birthday of the Church. The Archbishop suggested that the Archdiocese use this time until then, with the power of the Holy Spirit guiding us, to prepare “to renew the face of the earth.”
He believed God has a “special place for Sarawak” and that the “Holy Spirit will unite us” as we “work together to bring about renewal on this very land” and establish God’s kingdom in Sarawak and beyond, “into other parts of the world.” How? By receiving and using the gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit.
The seven gifts are Wisdom, Understanding, Knowledge, Counsel, Fortitude, Piety and Fear of the Lord. These seven gifts help us to respond to the presence of the Holy Spirit in our lives, to make good choices, and to serve God and others.
The 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit are signs that the Holy Spirit is alive within us and helping us live the Catholic faith in our daily lives. They are Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Generosity, Gentleness, Faithfulness, Modesty, Self-control and Chastity.
Archbishop Simon asked all Pentecost Rally participants to “give glory to the Father, trust in the Holy Spirit as we celebrate the birthday of the Church.” We are all sent forth for mission.
Prayers to invoke the Gifts and Fruits of the Holy Spirit
The community then in one voice prayed the Act of Consecration to invoke the gifts of the Holy Spirit, and the prayer for the fruits of the Holy Spirit.
The Bread of Life Catholic Charismatic Covenant Community (BoL) led the Praise & Worship for the rally. The Ministering session (pray over) at the end of the rally was undertaken by Holy Cross Ministry. People in need of healing were invited to move to the front to receive healing.
