Pentecost Sunday
(Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13; John 14:15-16,
23-26)
Pope Leo XIV has chosen a coat of arms with the motto (in
Latin): “In illo, uno unum.” The words are from Saint Augustine of Hippo, the
patron of the religious order to which the pope belongs. They mean: “In Him
(Christ), who is one, we are one.” Today we celebrate the Holy Spirit who keeps
us one in faith and in love.
The entity in which we are held together as one through the
Spirit is not a building made of concrete. Rather, it is something organic that
grows and develops. It is, of course, the Body of Christ that we commonly call
“the Church.” The Holy Spirit forms human persons in the cells of the different
organs of the Body. Some of us constitute His arms that reach out to those in
need. Others compose His voice, proclaiming both our belief in God and our
praise of God. As the second reading says today, just as the human body has
various types of organs, the Body of Christ has various types of ministries.
The cells of the Body of Christ are nourished by the bread
made into the Flesh of Christ and the wine made into the Blood of Christ. This
mystery of the Eucharist is likewise the work of the Holy Spirit. He transforms
everyday food -- that is bread and wine -- into the Body of Christ that lives
forever. Even when we fully digest the Body of Christ, it remains. As St.
Augustine himself put it, when we eat the Body of Christ, he does not become
part of us (like regular bread), but we become part of Him.”
The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles highlights
the unity of faith throughout entire Church. Ignited by the Spirit, the
disciples begin to preach. Not only do all the visitors to Jerusalem hear them
speaking in their own languages by
reason of the Holy Spirit. They also all receive the same message as proclaimed
by Peter in what follows in the Book of Acts. Peter will say that Jesus
performed many miracles and signs among the people; nevertheless, the Jews put
him to death on the cross, but God raised him from the dead. This basic
message, which has been called "Kerygma" (in Greek or
"proclamation" in English), has developed through the ages through
the Spirit. With reflection on the Scriptures, the Kerygma has produced the
dogmas of the Incarnation, the Resurrection from the dead, Redemption from sin,
and the Holy Trinity. As Jesus says in the Gospel, the Spirit will teach the
Church "everything."
The Holy Spirit also keeps us in love. Through the Spirit,
the Father and the Son dwell in our hearts, as the Gospel also says. With God
filling our interiors, we cannot help but love. This love extends beyond our
family and friends to all inhabitants of the world, living and dead.
As much as we would like to love, we are sometimes
challenged by loving those we don't like. It may be a boss who doesn't want to
talk to us. It may even be our husband or wife who doesn't accept our affection.
The Gospel calls the Holy Spirit "the Advocate." This word translates
the Greek word paraclete, which literally means "called to
one's side." When we lack the desire to love, the Advocating Spirit
advises us on how to offer it.
Considering all that the Holy Spirit does, one might think
that he doesn't receive enough attention in the Church's liturgy. However, the
persons of the Holy Trinity do not compete with one another. Because they are
one, when we worship the Father, we worship the Spirit. And when we honor the
Spirit, we honor the Son. And when we thank the Son, we thank the Father.
