Antiphon Repléti sunt omnes

In today's Feast of Pentecost and throughout its Octave, we find our favorite passage of Ps. cxviii under the Antiphon Repléti sunt omnes Spíritu Sancto, et cœpérunt loqui, allelúja, allelúja. They were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak, alleluia, alleluia. This affords us an opportunity to interpret the passage in light of the mystery of Pentecost.

Let us consider the wondrous mysteries that this Antiphon presents for our prayerful consideration. The Spirit of the Lord, that hath filled the whole earth (Introit, Mass) and shall renew the face of the earth (Alleluia Verse), the Holy Ghost, Almighty God, deigns to descend and dwell in our hearts and be our soul's delightful guest (Sequence, Mass). Saint Paul thus writes, Know you not, that you are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? (I Cor. iii. 16), Or know you not, that your members are the temple of the Holy Ghost, who is in you, whom you have from God; and you are not your own? (I Cor. vi. 19). Thus, Our Blessed Lord's promise is fulfilled: And I will ask the Father, and he shall give you another Paraclete, that he may abide with you for ever. The spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, nor knoweth him: but you shall know him; because he shall abide with you, and shall be in you (St. John xiv. 16-17).

The Holy Ghost becomes for us the Father of the poor and enriches us with those beams, which sweetly flow in silent streams from His bright throne above (Sequence, Mass). He is the rest in the toil we must endure, sweet refreshment in the heat of the temptations of this world, and solace in our grief that we are yet to possess Him eternally in Heaven (Sequence, Mass).

The Holy Ghost filled the hearts of the Apostles and caused them to speak. What did they speak? They spoke of the wonderful works of God (v. Antiphon, Vespers; Communion Verse, Mass). Wonderful indeed are the works of God, of God whose infinite clemency and love have wraught such thaumaturgy and mystery. It is these wonderful works of Our Lord that should always be the subject of our consideration. With the infinite love and admirable omnipotence of the Holy Ghost ever before the meditative eye of our intellect, we shall surely find it easy to love the commandments of the Lord above gold and the topazius (Ps. cxviii. 127). Then can we indeed find not just reproach but joyous consolation in the words of today's Gospel: If any one love me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him, and will make our abode with him (St. John xiv. 23). Then can truly say to Our Lord that we love Him super aurum et topázion.