The Mystery of Pentecost

Raniero Cantalamessa, OFM Cap, taught the history of Christian origins at the Catholic University of Milan and served on the International Theological Commission. He devotes his ministry to preaching and writing, and since 1980 he has been the Preacher to the Papal Household. Cantalamessa is author of Jesus Began to Preach: The Mystery of God’s Word; Come, Creator Spirit; Mary: Mirror of the Church; The Eucharist: Our Sanctification; Easter: Meditations on the Resurrection; The Holy Spirit in the Life of Jesus; The Mystery of Easter; The Mystery of Pentecost; and Life in Christ (all published by Liturgical Press). 

Contents
PREFACE   v

I. “AND THEY BEGAN TO SPEAK IN DIFFERENT TONGUES”
   The Lukan Pentecost and the Spirit of Unity   1
   1. “For in One Spirit We Were All Baptized into One Body”   4
   2. The Holy Spirit, Soul of the Church   6
   3. Pentecost and Babel   8
   4. The Builders of Babel   13
II. “YOU WILL RECEIVE POWER WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT COMES UPON YOU”
   The Lukan Pentecost and the Spirit of Prophecy   20
   1. The Spirit and the Word   21
   2. The Office of Preaching   26
   3. To Preach the Gospel in the Holy Spirit   29
III. “HE BREATHED ON THEM AND SAID, ‘RECEIVE THE HOLY SPIRIT’”
   The Johannine Pentecost and the Spirit of Truth   34
   1. The Holy Spirit in John and in the Synoptics: Novelty and Continuity   36
   2. The Holy Spirit, Principle of the Birth and Growth of the Church   39
   3. The Spirit of Truth   41
   4. The “Advocate”   43
   5. Thirst for the Holy Spirit or Fear of the Holy Spirit?   45 
IV. “BUT ONE AND THE SAME SPIRIT PRODUCES ALL OF THESE”
   The Pauline Pentecost and the “Person” of the Holy Spirit   48
   1. The Pauline Synthesis on the Holy Spirit   49
   2. Charisms and Charity   50
   3. The Spirit as “Person”   52
   4. Flesh and Spirit: Two Ways of Being Born, of Living, and of Dying   56