advent is pentecost
"The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, a spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord." —Isaiah 11:2
The purpose of Christmas is to meet Christ in a new, deep, and personal way. This is possible only through the Holy Spirit. In a way, we need Pentecost to have Christmas.
Although the apostles spent over a thousand days with Jesus, they did not love Him deeply. This was evidenced by the fact that they abandoned Him when He was crucified. After receiving the Holy Spirit at Pentecost, however, the apostles loved Jesus so much that they lived and died for Him. Only in the Holy Spirit can we say and mean: "Jesus is Lord" (1 Cor 12:3). In the Holy Spirit, we have a greater capacity to love (Rm 5:5; Gal 5:22). Only by receiving the one true Christmas Spirit, that is, the Holy Spirit, will we receive in a deeply personal way the Christ of Christmas.
Therefore, renew your Baptism and Confirmation at which you received the Holy Spirit. Do not quench (1 Thes 5:19) or grieve the Spirit (Eph 4:30). Repent of sin, and let the Spirit rest on you (see Is 11:2). Rejoice in the Holy Spirit this Christmas (see Lk 10:21).
Prayer: Father, I decide to crucify my flesh to be filled with the Spirit (Gal 5:17, 24).
Promise: "A Shoot shall sprout from the stump of Jesse, and from his roots a Bud shall blossom." —Is 11:1
Praise: Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, St. Francis Xavier was able to impact countless people in many far off places in a few short years.
Reference: (For a related teaching, order our tape on Baptism in the Holy Spirit on audio AV 43-1 or video V-43.)
Nihil Obstat: Reverend David L. Zink, June 12, 2002
Imprimatur: †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, June 13, 2002