Pentecost Sunday
(Acts 2: 1-11; Galatians 5: 16-25; John 15: 16-17.16: 12-15)
Spring ends today. It doesn't matter that we're still in the
middle of May. Nor is it relevant that Argentines, Australians, and South
Africans are in mid-autumn. Spring is ending now because it is the last day of
Easter. The risen Christ, the source of new life, fulfills his Father's project
by sending the Holy Spirit. From tomorrow on we have to fulfill the purpose of
our lives under the heat of the sun. That is, we have to serve the Lord in the
bustle of the world so that we can reach our eternal destiny.
You can think of the Holy Spirit as a spring shower that
prepares the land to bear fruit. In the first reading the Spirit equips the
disciples to fulfill the task of preaching the gospel. It is the same grace
that infuses our souls to bring our families to know the Lord Jesus. As we
celebrate the coming of the Spirit to bring about the Church today, let us consider
how his grace has touched her. In the Acts of the Apostles four characteristics
of the early Church stand out. They are not the marks of being one, holy,
catholic, and apostolic, but more palpable traits. The Church has been
known from the beginning for its liturgy, service, community, and the proclamation
of the gospel.
The Spirit calls the Church to pray as a united people. The
Acts of the Apostles says of the early church community: "They went daily
to the Temple with great enthusiasm and with the same spirit and" shared
bread "in their homes ..." (The "sharing of bread" probably
refers to the Eucharist.) We continue meeting every week at Mass to pay homage
to God and ask for His help. We should not excuse ourselves from these meetings
without serious reason. Nor should we attend mass as if it were a television
program. We want to participate in the dialogue with God as much as possible.
By the Spirit we are also moved to render service to others.
Today the possibilities of service, now called "ministries," are
enormous. Some of us read at mass; others bring Holy Communion to shut-ins;
still others take care of the children while their parents attend mass. We have
seen new ministries spring up during the pandemic. Even the volunteers
disinfecting the pews after Mass have rendered a significant service.
More impressive still, the church of the apostles
highlighted relationships of kindness and charity. The members sold their
belongings and submitted the proceeds for the good of all. They lived as
brothers and sisters even though they had only known each other for a short
time. Today members of the faith community should be able to count on one
another as persons of values. Not just any values but those of putting God
before self and charity before self-interest. In a world where many want to be "cool" and detached, the Church should be the place where we make sacrifices for the good
of others.
Pope Saint Paul VI wrote that the Church exists to evangelize;
that is, to preach Jesus Christ. He added that this mission is not only for
priests and religious but for all the members of the body. We all have to show the world
that by following the ways of the Lord Jesus, we will form a more just society. Some will say that it is no longer acceptable to speak of God
in public. We will answer that Christian virtues can always be demonstrated. We
also want to add: how could we remain silent about the reason for our existence?
The Acts of the Apostles tells of a group of followers of
Christ who never heard of the Holy Spirit. Scholars ask: who can these people
be? Their question is not important. The real concern is that some in the Church today have not
experienced the effects of the Spirit. It is like going from the cold of winter
to the heat of summer without passing the freshness of spring. However, the
Holy Spirit has arrived today to refresh our community. Its purpose is to
render it more like the risen Christ, the source of life.
