On this Pentecost Sunday, if you come to Mass at my parish you will see a sea of red all around. The choir, the lectors, the extraordinary ministers of Holy Communion, the people in the pews, and of course the celebrant and our deacon, will all be wearing red. We are one of those parishes that strive to reflect the color of the liturgy in our dress. It can be a sight to see.

What we put on our bodies serves only as a reminder of what is really important during these liturgical celebrations. At Pentecost, it was the Spirit of God that filled those in the first Christian community. We wear red to call to mind that very Spirit, often depicted as a fire or flame. However, if we just use red as a reminder of the power of the Spirit without letting it change us, then our actions become merely sentimental.

We are filled with the Holy Spirit through the sacraments of the Church. God touches us and enters into us in a profound way, just like in that upper room at Pentecost. That first powerful movement of the Spirit led to a Church that grew and flourished and remains alive today. What is the movement of the Spirit within calling you to do today? Do we allow God to move us and do great things through us? Red is a bold color to wear at any time. But our actions should be even bolder.

–Tracy Earl Welliver, MTS