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THEY WERE ALL FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

(A biblical refection on the PENTECOST SUNDAY, 19^th of May 2013)

First Reading: Acts 2:1-11

Psalms: Ps 104:1,24,29-34; Second Reading: 1Cor 12:3-7,12-13 or Rom 8:8-17; Gospel Reading: Jn 14:15-16,23-26

The Scripture Text

When the day of Pentecost had come, they were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the rush of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared to them tongues as of fire, distributed and resting on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues, as the Spirit gave them utterance.

Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men from every nation under heaven. And at this sound the multitude came together, and they were bewildered, because each one heard them speaking in his own language. And they were amazed and wondered, saying, “Are not all these who are speaking Galileans? And how is it that we hear, each of us in his own native language? Parthians and Medes and Elamites and residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya belonging to Cyrene, and visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians, we hear them telling in our own tongues the mighty works of God.” (Acts 2:1-11 RSV)

When the day of Pentecost came, it found the apostles and other disciples of Jesus in one place. Although they were physically together, they were far from united in their minds and hearts. After Jesus has left them for heaven, they felt like orphans, abandoned and confused. Doubts filled their minds and fear tugged at their hearts. What was to become of them? Would they undergo a fate like that of Jesus on the cross? Feeling abandoned and confused, each one could think only of himself – for in time of fear our worst inclinations toward selfishness becomes manifest and our instinct for self-preservation becomes all-pervading.

Then an amazing thing happened. With a great rush of wind the Holy Spirit came upon them, that same Holy Spirit who had sanctified Mary. Doubts and fears were blown away. The apostles and other disciples stood up together like one man and boldly went forth to proclaim the marvels God had accomplished in Jesus Christ. They had become like Mary in their dedication to Christ. All thoughts of selfishness and disunity had been left behind in the upper room. The Church, born from the side of the Savior on the cross, had now been formed by the Spirit into a unity and manifested to the world. From all eternity the Holy Spirit unites the Father and the Son in an unchanging embrace of love. After Jesus had ascended into heaven and returned to His Father, He sent forth the Holy Spirit from Himself and His Father upon the Church to unite all its members in love as one body.

The Church of Jesus Christ is like a human body in which there are many parts: arms, legs, eyes and ears. Despite its many parts the human body is a whole, a unity, with all the parts working together harmoniously for the good of the one body (second reading). Informing and uniting all the parts is the life-giving principle, the soul. Look around you today. You see the universal Church in microcosm. You see women, men and children of every age, background and culture. Throughout the world the Church embraces all peoples of all places. It is a true melting pot. Uniting all the people of the Church is its life-giving principle, its soul, the Holy Spirit (see Pope Pius XII, Mystici Corporis Christi, 60f).

Look around this Church again. We are all gathered together in one place, like the apostles and disciples on Pentecost. Today on this Pentecost Sunday, the Father and the Son wish to renew and intensify their sending of the Holy Spirit upon us, the Church. We are called to stand as one man to profess one faith with one voice (Preface). Putting aside all selfishness and individualism, we must open ourselves to the power of the Holy Spirit who can blow away all fear and doubt. How earnest and sincere should be our prayer in this Mass: “Grant that we, who are nourished by His body, one spirit in Christ” (Third Eucharistic Prayer). Young or old, rich or poor, each one of us has been called to be a member of the one body of Christ. Like Jesus Christ Himself, the head of the body, filled with the Holy Spirit we are to look to heaven and call God our Father.

When Jesus promised the disciples to send the Holy Spirit, He first said to them: “Peace be with you” (John 20:19). Peace is the fruit of unity and harmony. When we offer each other the sign of peace in the Holy Mass, we are actually praying that we will be open to the Spirit of love who unites us as one in Christ. This Pentecost today can have real meaning in our lives if, filled with the Holy Spirit, we leave the church determined to be instruments of peace and harmony to others. Only our own selfishness can inhibit the beautiful movement of the Holy Spirit. Worshipping God as one people in the Holy Mass, we can also lead lives in accord with who we truly are: one body, of spirit in Christ.

Prayer: Holy Spirit, come! Glorious life of God, fullness of the Father’s love given by the Son, flow like a river into my heart and wash away all of my sins. Set me on fire for You and send me out to the world as Your ambassador. Amen.

A Christian Pilgrim

LANGUAGE

(A biblical reflection on PENTECOST SUNDAY – 19^th of May, 2013)

First Reading: Acts 2:1-11; Psalms: Ps 104:1,24,29-34; Second Reading: 1Cor 12:3-7,12-13 or Rom 8:8-17; Gospel Reading: Jn 14:15-16,23-26

Almost 100 years ago Dr. Zamenhof, a Polish linguist, constructed a new language that could be shared by people throughout the world. The artificial language Dr. Zamenhof created is called Esperanto, “the language of hope.”

The name signifies the hope of humankind that a common language might heal the divisions that exist among the different peoples of the earth. We even use the slang expression, “speaking the same language,” to indicate harmony or unity of purpose on a certain issue.

The Feast of Pentecost is the Church’s celebration of her unity and universality in the Holy Spirit, and so some of the readings used express this in terms of language.

One of the optional readings for Pentecost is the Genesis story about the Tower of Babel. It presupposes that before the building of the tower, people were united and spoke the same language. But in punishment for humankind’s pride and arrogance, God confused their speech. Divisions resulted and different languages were developed.

Whether or not the events at Babel actually took place that way is not important. What is important is that sin somehow makes it difficult for us to communicate with each other and to understand each other.

Today’s reading from Acts describes the descent of the Holy Spirit on the disciples at Pentecost. With the Tower of Babel story in the background, the reading underlines one of the key outcomes of the Holy Spirit’s coming – the disciples spoke in a foreign tongue, yet each nationality present heard and understood them in their own language.

In other words, the confusion of tongues attributed to sin in the story of the Tower of Babel is now removed. Instead the Holy Spirit restores, at least momentarily, a common understanding and a sense of unity.

Ever since, we’ve been trying to recover that Pentecostal experience of unity and understanding. Dr. Zamenhof’s invention of a universal language like Esperanto has been followed by: establishing the United Nations Assembly, holding summit meetings, having cultural exchanges and reviving the Olympic Games.

Occasionally people from different countries make a breakthrough in communicating with and understanding one another – not so much in the arena of politics or economics, as on the level of art, music and dance.

For example, pianist Vladimir Horowitz recently returned to his homeland, Russia, for a concert after more than 60 years of absence. He became an instant good-will ambassador because he moved the hearts of the Russian people – not by what he said, but by the music he played.

We don’t need a translator to appreciate such things as the Bolshoi Ballet, or a Picasso painting, or a Calder sculpture. Great works of art seem to transcend spoken languages and touch our spirits to unite us at the deepest levels of our being.

But Pentecost is more than a work of art or music. Pentecost is a new outpouring of God’s Holy Spirit into our hearts to kindle in us the fire of His love. The new language that will unite us is not Esperanto so much as the language of love. Even before a child learns how to speak, it already knows that is is loved by its mother.

Even though a word was never exchanged, the Jew who was beaten by robbers knew that he was loved by the Good Samaritan. Even though victims of earthquakes or floods may live in foreign countries, they welcome the message of love we send in relief aid.

Acts of kindness and mercy destroy divisions and build bridges between people. Gestures of peace and forgiveness reduce hostility and forge bonds of unity.

Tongues of fire may not come down on us today as they did on the first disciples at Pentecost. But may the Holy Spirit fill our hearts anew so that we can speak His language of love to each other and to all the world.

Note: Taken from Fr. Albert Cylwicki CSB, HIS WORD RESOUNDS, Makati, Philippines: St. Paul Publications, 1988, pages 240-241.