Episode Transcript  

One

Pentecost 

Pope Benedict XVI said that Pentecost stands out among all the great solemnities because, in it, the purpose of Jesus’ whole earthly mission is brought to fulfillment. On His way to Jerusalem, Jesus said, “I came to cast fire upon the earth; and would that it were already kindled!”[Text Wrapping Break]—Luke 12:49 

That fire was visibly kindled fifty days after the Resurrection, on Pentecost, the great feast of the Holy Spirit, “There appeared to them tongues as of fire… and they were all filled with the Holy Spirit.” —Acts 2:3–4 

The true fire is the Holy Spirit. Christ came to bring this fire to earth, and God wants to pour it into every person, in every generation. But here is the question: Is that fire burning in me? 

Lent is over. Easter is over. Pentecost is here. And when I ask people, “What is your plan for holiness?” I usually get blank stares and silence. That won’t work. We have a plan for everything else. We have a plan for our careers, our children’s education, our finances, our retirement. If you want to run a six-minute mile, you need a plan. If you want to bench press 300 pounds, you need a plan. 

But when it comes to becoming holy, when it comes to being set on fire by the Holy Spirit, many people have no plan at all. But Acts 2:42 gives us the plan. 

After Pentecost, the first Christians devoted themselves to four things: the “breaking of the bread” which is the Eucharist, to prayer, the teaching of the Apostles and to friendship. That is the plan. 

If we want to receive the fire of the Holy Spirit, we must be devoted to the same four things. 

Two 

The Breaking of the Bread — The Eucharist 

The early Christians called the Mass and the Eucharist “the breaking of the bread.” Acts 2:46 says the first Christian community gathered for the breaking of the bread day by day. 

They received Jesus. And receiving Jesus set their hearts ablaze. 

St. Margaret Mary Alacoque once saw the Sacred Heart of Jesus burning with love for every person in the world. When she saw His Heart so full of fire, she was overwhelmed with sorrow because her own heart seemed so cold. 

Jesus knew what she was thinking. So, Jesus asked for her heart. He placed her heart inside His own divine Heart, where it appeared like a tiny atom being consumed in a fiery furnace. Then He returned it to her, now like a small flame burning with His love. 

If the heart of St. Margaret Mary was cold, then my heart is frozen. So what can we do? 

We bring our cold hearts to the burning Heart of Jesus in the Eucharist. We do not set ourselves on fire by trying harder to feel love. We go to the source of fire. We receive the burning Heart of Jesus in the Mass, and He sets our hearts ablaze. 

So here is the first part of the plan: Go to Mass more often. 

How about one more daily Mass each week? Put yourself close to the fire and you will be set ablaze. 

Three 

Prayer 

Prayer unleashes the action of the Holy Spirit in our lives. 

Luke tells us that after Jesus was baptized, “He was praying, and the heavens were opened, and the Holy Spirit descended upon Him.” Prayer opens the soul to the Holy Spirit. But I do not mean merely saying prayers. And I do not mean just listening to more religious content. I mean meditation, which means three things: Read or Listen to the Word of God. Reflect, think about it. Make a Resolution.  

First, listen to the Word of God. Second, think about the Word of God. Let it convict you. Let it reveal what needs to change. Let it show you what Jesus is asking of you today. 

Third, make a concrete resolution.Never end meditation without a resolution. Never, never, never. A resolution is the decision to put into practice what Jesus is saying. It is one concrete good action you will do today. 

That is the kind of prayer the Holy Spirit can use to set you on fire. And that is what we do here in the Rosary. 

Four 

The Teaching of the Apostles 

After Pentecost, the first Christians “devoted themselves to the teaching of the Apostles.” They did not remain on fire by emotion alone. They had to be taught. They had to learn the truth. They had to learn who God is, what Christ has done, how we are saved, how to pray, how to live, how to overcome sin, how to grow in virtue, and how to reach heaven. 

And so do we. That is why one of the most important parts of your plan for holiness is this: You need a systematic education in the Catholic faith. 

And here is something many people may not realize. If you pray the Rosary with us every day, you are not only praying. You are receiving a systematic education in the Catholic faith, day by day, in small, digestible portions, at the School of Mary. 

We have just finished walking through the Commandments, the moral principles, the path to happiness, and the virtues. That was not random. That was a real formation in the Christian moral life. 

Now, beginning Tuesday, we are going to start a new series on the essential doctrines of the Faith. 

We will walk through the great truths every Catholic needs to know: God, creation, the angels, the problem of evil, original sin, salvation history, the Old Testament, Jesus Christ, the Incarnation, redemption, how we are saved, the Church, the sacraments, death, judgment, hell, purgatory, heaven, and eternal life. 

In other words, we are going to keep doing what the first Christians did after Pentecost: We are going to devote ourselves to the teaching of the Apostles. Pray the Rosary with us every day. That is your school. That is your plan. That is how we devote ourselves to the teaching of the Apostles in the School of Mary. 

Five 

Friendship 

Finally, after Pentecost, the first Christians devoted themselves to friendship. Pentecost did not create isolated spiritual individuals. It created the Church, a community gathered around Christ. Friendship is not a luxury. Friendship is one of the ordinary ways God saves souls. We help others come to Jesus by building real bridges of friendship. 

So here is a simple plan. Choose one to three people God has placed in your life. Do not begin by preaching. Begin by doing good things together regularly. Share a meal. Take a walk. Get coffee. Work on a project. Play a game. Read something good. Pray the Rosary together. 

Friendship grows through shared activities and good conversation. 

Then practice good conversation. See the dignity of the person in front of you. Ask real questions. Listen without interrupting. Use simple follow-up questions like, “Tell me more,” or “How did that affect you?” 

Do not argue. Do not pressure. Do not correct everything. Stay curious, peaceful, and patient. And finally, become easier to be friends with. Remove negativity, pride, gossip, and self-absorption. Be joyful. Be reliable. Be grateful. Be glad to be with others. 

This is not complicated. Choose someone. Do good things together. Have real conversations. Become the kind of person others want to be around. Then, when the time is right, invite them closer to Jesus. 

Do not wait to be set on fire by accident. Put yourself where the fire falls. 

Today, choose your Pentecost plan: one step toward the Eucharist, one step toward daily prayer, one step toward learning the Faith, and one person you will invite into real friendship. 

Pentecost needs a plan. Acts 2:42 gives us the plan. Now we need to live it. 

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