Celebrate Pentecost with Symbolic Eats

Happy Pentecost!

(The pictures in this post are from our 2015 breakfast, since we've yet to have our 2017 celebratory meal, and I've realized I never shared any of our 2015 snapshots.)

Last night, I realized that we did not have a single fresh fruit in our home, which absolutely would not do for Pentecost.  So, out went two of my children and I, so the kids could help me pick out 12 fruits for our annual Pentecost meal.  We always include fruit in our Pentecost meal to remind us of the 12 Fruits of the Holy Spirit:  charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control, and chastity.

While we were at the store, the children and I also purchased fruit juice to make juice wigglers with. Our juice wigglers will be cut into seven flame shapes with a dual symbolic purpose:

• to remind us of when the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles and their followers, filling them with enthusiasm and replacing their fear with courage so they could go forth and share Christ's story.
   
• to help us recall the 7 Gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord.

As in years past, our fruit and wiggler flames will be served alongside something to represent a cake - for the birthday of the Church on a table with red candles and dishes - since Pentecost's liturgical color is red, representing the zeal of those who open their hearts to the Holy Spirit and the dynamism of the Spirit itself.

After singing happy birthday to the Church, we'll blow our candles out, remembering wind as a symbol of the Holy Spirit and the driving wind that surrounded all of the apostle on the first Pentecost - the same breath of the Holy Spirit that strengthens and challenges us all on our faith journey.

We'll also, of course, have some water, symbolic of the Holy Spirit and representing new life and the commitment made at the time o our baptism and renewed throughout our faith lives.Finally, on the table, will be a representation of a dove, since the Holy Spirit descended "like a dove" and hovered over Jesus when he was baptized, and, thus, continues to be an enduring symbol of peace.
Before we eat, we'll pray the prayer to the Holy Spirit:

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful.
And kindle in them the fire of your love.
Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created.
And you will renew the face of the earth.

Lord,
by the light of the Holy Spirit
you have taught the hearts of your faithful.
In the same Spirit
help us to relish what is right
and always rejoice in your consolation.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.

 

{Disclosure: There are affiliate links contained in this post.}

During and after our meal, we'll continue the slim book we've been reading for the past few days, The Holy Spirit, which currently sells for less then $1.50.

You might also enjoy reading about our 2014 and 2016 meals.

Come, Holy Spirit, Come, kindle in us the fire of your love and help us shine with your light in this world.  Whenever anything dims our fire, ignite us anew.