First Reading: Acts 2: 1 – 11
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, “Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.”
Gospel: John 14:15-16, 23b-26
“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will pray the Father, and he will give you another Counselor, to be with you for ever. “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. He who does not love me does not keep my words; and the word which you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me. “These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
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It is the human experience that there comes a time in life when the understanding of a situation fills us with zeal and courage to undertake actions or to adopt a direction for our lives which before would have filled us with fear and left us vacillating. An example of this we see in the life of Mons. Romero of El Salvador who was a Bishop accustomed to live within the very unjust structures of his land until one day; one of his priests was killed. As he stood over the coffin of the slain priest he understood the enormity of the injustices which were being perpetrated in his land and that understanding led him to the commitment in the struggle for justice which ultimately cost him his life.
The celebration of the Solemnity of Pentecost is the celebration of such a defining moment in the lives of the Apostles. The disciples of Jesus have lived a very traumatic moment. The person they thought to be the messiah has been hunted down and executed like a common criminal. They are understandably filled with fear both because of the threat to their own lives and because Jesus has appeared to them and instructed them that they have to continue the work which he had begun. They are all gathered in the same room with Mary the mother of the Lord praying and awaiting the promise of the Spirit. We are told that “suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.”
Those of us living in areas prone to hurricanes or to tornados know that these are extremely frightening things. It is no wonder that they are called natural disasters. Uncontrolled fire is equally frightening. Yet it is facing these two very frightening experiences which symbolize the situations which they will face in the world, that the disciples are filled with the Holy Spirit. They come to the understanding of the situation of the world, the total lack of harmony which existed. They understand the meaning of the person and life of Jesus. This understanding to which they have come under the influence of the Spirit leads them to the commitment to the person and message of Jesus for which they will all give their energies and ultimately their lives. The coming of the Holy Spirit is the defining moment for them. From here on they will be totally focused on bringing the message of Jesus, the message of reconciliation with God and with others to the whole world. Jesus knew however the temptations and the pitfalls which his disciples would face and so in the Gospel Jesus instructs them; “If a man loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him.” It is in union with the Father that the disciples will get the strength to be faithful; union with God and reliance on the Holy Spirit; “the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you.”
When one reads the Acts of the Apostles one begins to understand the significance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Apostles and what it meant for the world. These twelve frightened men and their companions went out and began a movement, the Church of Christ which, with all its faults, continues to this day and which has brought and facilitated the march towards true human development and the harmony which is God’s wish for the world.
There have been many defining moments in history, eg, the ascension to power of Constantine, the invention of the printing press, the voyages of Columbus. Not all defining moments however have been because of the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. What we do know however is that defining moments for the world which have truly facilitated the journey to ‘harmony restored’ have been the result of defining moments in the lives of persons who have let God’s Spirit
overtake them. The lives of the saints who sought to provide education for the poor and health care which respects the dignity of the human person all attest to this. We have only to think of Mother Teresa of Calcutta.
The lesson is very straight forward. Where God’s Spirit is present, there is also present the search for harmony. Where God’s Spirit is not, there is only division and misunderstanding. As we in T&T prepare to elect those who will seek to fashion our future we must also understand that we cannot be passive agents. The Feast of Pentecost calls us to be bearers of God’s Spirit so that we be agents of harmony in our broken and divided land. We are called to ask incessantly for God’s Spirit, for our homes, our organizations, our country and our world. In this truly defining moment of our history as a people we must let God’s Spirit overtake us if we are to further our march towards harmony which is God’s purpose for our world.
Prayer
All powerful and ever-loving God we thank you for the gift of your Spirit who changed the disciples from cowards who betrayed your Son into men willing to die for the project of your Son. Give us also your Spirit so that we too will be able to dedicate our lives to the pursuance of your project, a world of total harmony because of the justice, peace and love which your Spirit brings. We ask this through the intercession of Mary our mother and your Son, Jesus. Amen
