June 9, 2019

Pentecost Sunday C
Acts 2: 1-11; Corinthians 12: 3-7, 12-13; John 20: 19-23
Today we are celebrating the Feast of the Church: Pentecost. What does Pentecost mean to you today.
Would you say it is the birthday of the Church? It is. Would you say it’s the day the promised Holy
Spirit was given to the Apostles. It was. Would you say it is the day I celebrate that the Holy Spirit is a
daily part of my life? It is. The question, is do I believe this? I’m not sure how many would say this.
The Spirit of God is the force for everything good and powerful in people’s lives. It is the courage to
stand up and be a witness for Christ in our daily lives. It is the ability to see through petty problems and
realize that God is in control. It is living the belief that God has a plan for each one of us to be in heaven
and to help those in our daily lives through the grace and help He gives us to make a difference.
The first reading from Acts of the Apostles tells how Jerusalem was filled with people from all different
countries speaking different languages making their pilgrimage to this holy place. But something totally
different and not planned on happened. Luke describes this as a time of fulfillment which had arrived.
He uses this phrase at very unique times in Jesus’ life. The first time is announcing of Jesus’ Birth, Luke
2:6: Joseph and Mary journeyed to Bethlehem, “While they are there, the time came for her to have her child,
and she gave birth to her firstborn son.” The most important and most waited for event in human history
takes place.
Another place, this term is used is in Luke 9:51in the part entitled “The Journey to Jerusalem: Luke’s
Travel Narrative.” We know that in the synoptics, Jesus only goes up to Jerusalem once for His passion
death and resurrection, the focal point of His message and God’s eternal plan. Luke says, “When the days
for His being taken up were fulfilled, He resolutely determined to journey to Jerusalem, and He sent messengers
ahead of Him.“ The last time this phrase is used is in today’s passage, “When the time for Pentecost was
fulfilled, they were all in one place together.” These are the three significant and key moments of God’s plan.
The apostles and the community of believers were all in one place because the Lord had directed them to
do so. They were awaiting something never experienced before, the Father’s promised gift of the Holy
Spirit. They were at prayer. “And Suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind…” Is
this an indication of what will happen, since the first time the wind appears is in Genesis 1: 1-2: In the
beginning, when God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was a formless wasteland, and the darkness
covered the abysses while a mighty wind swept over the waters. Then God said….” Here Luke seems to be
implying another new creation is about to take place. This is not ordinary. God has intervened in the
history of the world…these three times…am I aware of the significance of these events in my life? And
what happens: “Then there appeared to them as 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.” THE strong implication is that this special gift is for each person who is to become
God’s witness to the world; that means each one of you and myself. What happens is confusion, not
because the many different foreign languages being spoken and people can’t understand what is being
said…they can. Language presents no barrier to understanding communication. All languages are
one…it is God’s language…and this language is the living of love. This is putting the things of God
first…living the life of love, mercy, forgiveness, care for all as our brothers and sisters.
St. Paul continues this message in his letter to the Corinthians showing how the Spirit of God gives
countless spiritual gifts to the community. Each gift helps others along the journey of faith. “To each
individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” He is using the image of a body to explain
Christ’s relationships with each one of us. The Holy Spirit is vigorous. It gives each person what he or
she needs to live out the Gospel message. There are no obstacles, the Spirit fills each person with what
is needed to be Christ in their own neighborhood and world.
The ‘popular’ version of Pentecost is given in the first reading from Acts of the Apostles. Today’s
gospel from John shares a much briefer and less dramatic version. It is Easter Sunday evening. The
apostles and all those gathered are very well aware that Jesus has been killed. They were afraid, terrified
would be a better word, and they were hiding in a safe place, the upper room where Jesus had celebrated
the Passover Meal, the first Eucharist with them three nights earlier. Without any explanation as to how
it happened…”Jesus came and stood in their midst…” Did he just appear, probably. Knock on the door, that
doesn’t seem plausible…come down the chimney…no…these take away from the most important
proclamation, “Peace be with you.” Even in showing His hands and His side, this didn’t calm them
down…He still had to give them and you and myself The Message: “Peace with you. As the Father has
sent Me, so I send you.” Jesus immediately gets to the purpose of His life and mission and God’s plan
from eternity. He commissions this faith community to go out and continue the same work that He has
been doing. They can’t say, Oh, I could never do that…I’m not strong enough…I’m not bright
enough…I don’t know how…I’m just to nervous…, etc. And Jesus makes this commission official by
breathing on them the Holy Spirit. This, incidentally, is how God breathed new life into Adam, the first
person , so that this person became a living being (Genesis 2: 7). They are to make God in Jesus known
to the world. This same Spirit has been given in Baptism, Confirmation, each reception of the Eucharist
and every moment we are presented with a situation to make Jesus known. Connections, a newsletter of
ideas and images for preaching the Sunday Gospel states; “The Spirit of God is that love that enables us to
do for others what we don’t believe we can do, that love that inspires the courage and generosity to endure what
terrifies us, that love that reveals the strength and hope we possess to move stones to open tombs of despair and
fear. May the Spirit of God lift our hearts and voices to ‘sing’ compassion and care, whether our song be a song of
peace for the dying or outreach to the lost, the vulnerable, the despairing.”
I reflect on:
• Jesus tells us that we need to clean house, not with cleaning products or a mop, but by living Christ’s
words and loving others the way that He loved us: totally, unconditionally, and sacrificially.
• Am I living in the peace of Christ? Why or why not?
• How many different languages do I speak? The language of forgiveness? A prophetic language? The
language of compassion? What languages do I need to learn?
Sacred Space 2019 states
“Take time today and allow the word Peace echo in your mind and heart. Let the word and all it may mean
fill your body and remain within you. Peace is the constant promise of Jesus to His followers. It is a gift nobody can
take from us. Give time each day to receive this gift of God’s Spirit. He gives it without even being asked. As your
receive peace from God, send this peace in a prayer to those close to you or those who may sorely need prayer
today.
The risen Jesus penetrates the disciples defenses, overcomes their fears, and brings them joy. I ask Him
to pass through all my security systems and liberate me from whatever prevents me from having life and having it in
all its fullness.”