So what happened on that first Pentecost, and what does it all mean for us today?   The Spirit of God took hold of the first disciples with a force like a mighty wind, and they were set on fire with zeal for the reign of God. As baptized and confirmed Christians, we too have been seized by that same Spirit; we too have been given gifts meant for the service of others.  Pentecost is not simply the “end of the Easter Season” or the “birthday of the church.  ”It is more than that. It is the feast that calls us out from behind the locked doors where, like our Lady and the disciples, we may be hiding for fear of others.  It is the feast that reminds us that we are indeed people filled with the Holy Spirit, people with gifts that the world needs so desperately: wisdom for a world searching for meaning, knowledge for a world seeking insight, healing for a world torn apart by violence, prophecy for a world in need of direction, discernment of spirits for a world confronted by competing forces.  The power of the Holy Spirit worked wonders in and through the lives of the first disciples. The power of the Holy Spirit has worked wonders in and through the lives of believers down through the ages. What wonders will the Holy Spirit work in and through us today?  Since my arrival 11 months ago, I have been inviting parishioners to speak about their vision for Saint Joan of Arc parish. On this Pentecost Sunday we celebrate the gifts that God has bestowed upon our community. We are called by God to share the gifts we have been given and so a vision for the parish is an important part of our mission to meet the world around us and proclaim what we believe.  Please continue to pray about the gifts you have been given and how you can best share them with and for our parish.  We have many needs and we have many gifted parishioners. Let us find ways to unite them.