This festival took on even greater meaning in the time of Solomon, when the wise men understood the connection between Shavuot and the acceptance of the Ten Commandments – the Word of God – received by Moses on Mount Sinai.
According to Jewish tradition, it was on Shavuot that God gave us the Torah, which the Jewish people would transmit to all humanity. This celebration recognises God as the provider of the harvested fruits and giver of the divine Word, proposing a relationship with God and with our environment. It is a Word that shows us where we came from, where we are going, and who we are: beings created to seek the truth that liberates and unites, and entrusted with responsibility for transforming our natural habitat for the good.
In Genesis, the Spirit of God gives life to humanity (Gen 2:7). The Spirit was present (shekinah in Hebrew) during the journey through the desert. The Spirit became incarnate in the womb of the Virgin Mary. The same Spirit is present at Pentecost and wherever people gather in God’s name (Ex 20:24; Mt 18:20). Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, God is revealed to us.
At Pentecost we are, once again, renewed by the Spirit of God, and continue listening to the Word and being guided by the life-giving Spirit.
