Sunday, June 5, 2022

Pentecost Sunday, June 5, 2022

(Acts 2:1-11; Romans 8:8-17; John 14:15-16.23b-26)

A novel tries to re-imagine the Holy Trinity. The three persons have different characteristics. The Son is a Jewish carpenter. There is nothing new here. The Father is an incredible invention, not worth saying much about Him here. The most curious of the three is the Holy Spirit. He is described as a young girl who moves with the impetuosity of a butterfly. She's here one second and there the next. Yes, it can be said that the Holy Spirit is everywhere at the same time. Now at Pentecost, the feast of the Holy Spirit, it behooves us to try to describe more of the Spirit. As the basis of our study we can use the readings from yesterday, the vigil, and today.

It can be said with confidence that the Holy Spirit is a gift. In the vigil’s gospel this gift is described as water that refreshes a thirsting people. It is as if we were dried up plants on which water is poured. Soon we straighten up to continue with our daily tasks. A Catholic poet had the Holy Spirit as his muse. As he felt unable to express his feelings, he prayed to the Spirit. He said: "O Lord of life, send my roots rain."

The Holy Spirit is also the gift that brings the hope of eternal life. Yesterday's second reading from the Letter to the Romans says: "...we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, we also groan within ourselves as we wait for adoption, the redemption of our bodies." It is the agonized cry of the families who have lost their children in the massacre in Texas. They pray with all their hearts that they see their children again in eternal life.

The first reading yesterday also contains a glimpse of the Holy Spirit. The prophet Joel says that the Lord will pour out his spirit on everyone. Then the “old men will dream dreams” and the “young men will see visions”. What will the old dream of? and what will the young see? If they have experienced the trauma of war like the Ukrainian people, surely it will be peace and friendship between nations and people.

The first reading today describes the Spirit as tongues of fire resting on the disciples. The tongues are a dynamism to proclaim God's love to the world. A week ago, one of the most respected journalists in the country did exactly this. She ended her column with a testimony of faith. She said: "I have been alive for some years and this is the only true thing, that there is a God and he is good and you are here to know him, love him and show your feeling through your work and how you live."

The second reading from First Corinthians describes how the Spirit brings us together into one body. We are united despite different cultures and languages. This truth has been shown in the issue of abortion. Catholics have joined with the pope and bishops against abortion. Thanks to the Catholic Church the pro-life movement has not diminished despite strong opposition.

Finally, the Holy Spirit brings help in our trials. Our translation says an “Advocate,” in the sense of a lawyer.  The Spirit stands with us in temptations. Whether we struggle with pornography, or it is laziness that bothers us, the Spirit comes to our aid. It reminds us of the lessons of our teachers and of the fact that it is God that we offend by sin.

A good image for the Holy Spirit is a spring. In different places there are springs sprouting endless streams of pure water.  The water refreshes, helps, and gratifies so that children playing in it shout for joy. Thus it is with the gift of the Holy Spirit. It refreshes, helps, and gratifies us so that we want to sing praises to God.