11.05.2008 - Sunday of Pentecost
- Year A
First Reading; Acts 2,1-11 Psalm 104 Second Reading; I Cor 12,3b-7.12-13
Gospel Reading; John 20,10-23
Jesus fulfils his promises that gave hope to the disciples, above all during
the Last Supper and the last time he appears to them after rising from the dead.
He promised the Holy Ghost (the Paraclete),to whom he gave various names: the
Consoler, the Spirit of truth, the Spirit of Testimony, Power from on High.
Each term expresses different aspects of this Divine Presence. A Presence which
is alive and active within the Church and in the souls of all who believe in
Jesus. St Luke describes this happening with simple and meaningful images. The
Holy Spirit rests on the head of each apostle like a flame of fire, fire which
does not burn like the flames of the burning bush before which Moses took off
his sandals and covered his face. Each apostle becomes bearer of this divine
flame and is transformed by it. Ezekiel's prophecy comes true where he says,
"I shall put a new spirit within you; I shall remove the heart of stone
from your body and give you a heart of flesh. I shall put my spirit within you
and make you conform to my statutes; you will observe my laws faithfully"
(36,26). The apostles immediately noticed the change that the Holy Spirit had
worked in them. They were no longer afraid, they had no fear of talking about
Jesus in public and of declaring him the Lord even to those who had asked for
his death. Those who listen to them come from different nations and cultures,
but everybody understands that their message applies to them and that he who
is proclaimed is to be accepted as the Only one they need. It is true that the
Holy Spirit testifies to Jesus and makes all who receive him testifiers of this
truth. The Holy Spirit cannot have changed his way of being and doing. Today
too, he wishes to testify to Jesus and to move those hearts who accept him to
talk about Jesus and to raise him above every philosophy, every custom and every
interest. If there is fear of speaking about Jesus in public today, it is because
the Holy Spirit is missing! We Christians need a new Pentecost, a new effusion
of the Spirit for ourselves and for the Church! It is easy to find "Christians"
who avoid the name of Jesus and are incapable of talking about him with courage
and joy even within the Church itself! What must we do to receive the Holy Spirit?
The apostles withdrew in constant prayer for nine days.
The Holy Spirit does not come all at once: he comes gradually, or several times
to give different gifts each time and to help the disciples become able to carry
out varying tasks and services. The passage from today's gospel reading shows
Jesus in the act of breathing his Holy Spirit onto the apostles. This happened
during his first appearance after the resurrection. The apostles were still
full of fear and this fear did not disappear at Jesus' first intervention. But
all the same, they received the Spirit from the Lord and were able to forgive
the sins of believers.
To forgive sins is an exclusive characteristic of God! Jesus did it several
times, showing that God had given him, a man, all his love and his authority!
Now Jesus transmits this same authority to the apostles thanks to the Holy Spirit
present in them. They need a long time to reflect upon this gift from Jesus
before being convinced. When at Pentecost the same Spirit descends once again
upon them in public, they talk to the crowds of the need and possibility of
receiving forgiveness for sins. It is the most wonderful target for men and
women. Jesus spoke of it when offering his blood to be drunk at the last supper,
saying that for this reason he was to die on the cross, for this reason he was
to offer up his life. Now he gives the Spirit so that everyone may be pardoned,
though not automatically. It is the Spirit himself who indicates to the apostles
who may and who may not be reconciled with the Father. The criteria of discernment
was not to be a whim of the apostles, but the acceptance of the good news that
Jesus, Son of God had been sent by the Father to save us. Salvation is always
to be understood as salvation from sin. The prophets had announced it in this
way, so that even Zachariah, at the birth of his son, John, had described his
mission as preparing for the coming of the Lord who would give his people the
knowledge of salvation in the remission of sins. Sins obstruct peace and joy
and communion and happiness among men and women. The Father's love is fulfilled
when we are freed from sin; Jesus comes into the world and dies for this reason
and he rises again to give us the Spirit, who will help us live communion with
God and among ourselves! Come! Oh Holy Spirit!