Verbum Dei UK

Acts 2:1-11 ;1 Corinthians 12:3-7 .12-13;John 20:19-23

MEDITATION:

Pentecost Sunday celebrates the coming of the Holy Spirit 50 days (a pentany of days) after Easter Sunday and that's when the Church gets born.

The Jews always have a celebration 50 days after Passover, and that's why the group is gathered at the beginning of the first reading. Jesus himself has 'ascended' to heaven, but that wasn't in order to leave his friends. It was rather in order to let the Spirit finish inside each of us what Jesus had begun before his group many years ago. In case people should think that the Spirit isn't important compared to Jesus, Jesus himself says this: "It is better for you that I go. For if I do not go, the Advocate will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you." (John 16:5-7 ). The Incarnation enabled God to be physically present to us in a certain place, at a certain time, but God's presence has no ending and is everywhere.

While Jesus is not present before our eyes now, the Spirit is very much present... within us! Tongues of fire represent the presence of God as on Mount Sinai in Exodus 19:18 and also at Pentecost. That doesn't have a physical explanation. And it doesn't require one. It's the Spirit of God. Love doesn't get explained and God is Love! And Love doesn't barge in, but simply waits to be invited in. In that sense, it's relevant that the first reading today begins with a group of people that had decided themselves to gather. Will you invite the Trinity into our world this Pentecost? In other words, will you make the decision to become a person open to whatever the Trinity want to stimulate in you as you meditate their Word?

The many languages being spoken in the Acts of the Apostles today is a sign of how God want's the Good News to reach every corner of the Earth -and every corner of our own lives. Speaking in tongues also represents a form of ecstatic prayer in praise of God. God's Good News doesn't just inform our minds, but stimulates our hearts. I think it's like when an article of information becomes a love-song!

The Christian Church is born in the first reading today, despite the people being from different places of different languages. In other words, the problem of Babel in the Old Testament (Gen 11 ) is resolved by Pentecost in the New. It symbolises that the terrible pride of man has a solution! The tower of Babel had been built by a proud humanity that reckoned they could organize their own success (Gen 11 ).

Today we could actually sing 'happy birthday' to our Church! The Church throughout history has somehow managed to overcome many obstacles, and that's the fruit of this tremendous Spirit.

The adjective 'ecclesiastic' comes from 'ecclesia' which means 'congregation' or 'gathering.' While the Jews of Israel had managed to confine God's Word to their own small population (you were either Jew or gentile), God opens up to everyone. That's why Pentecost has Jews from many different places all understanding each other's languages. I want to be 'Catholic' which means 'universal'. So if strangers from 'Timbuctoo' come my way, then I want to love them as brothers and sisters. And what about the people from down your street or from another part of town with whom you're not very friendly yet? Let's allow the Spirit to bind us!

Regarding the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11 again: It says there that mankind got so proud that they started building up and up thinking that they wouldn't need God to reach Heaven. The building failed and from then on the people started speaking different languages! That's only an image, but it reflects what's still going on in our 'advanced' world of towers and technology. It reflects the danger of thinking that we don't really need God and that we don't need to be united in Him. The building of the tower failed, and they all started to speak different languages, and mankind was no-longer a united family! Further on, the Old Testament has this: 'Thus says the LORD of hosts: In those days ten men of every nationality, speaking different tongues, shall take hold, yes, take hold of every Jew by the edge of his garment and say, "Let us go with you, for we have heard that God is with you."' (Zech 8:23 ). Pentecost initiates the cure of man's 'Babbling'! We are Church and we are united.

One thing that I like in my community is the mixture of members from many countries (and the gathering of groups for international encounters).

As in the Gospel of the second Sunday of Easter (John 20:19-31 ), Jesus appears through closed doors to the lads, and God keeps repeating that in the form of the Spirit. The Church has made its way through many closed doors since -even the closed doors of our cold hearts and proud minds. It's clear to me, though, that the faith isn't something that I read in a catechism, but it's a gift that penetrated my hard head as I contemplated the Bible that the Church has given us, and as I contemplated the Cross in our Churches- and the many persecutions of Christ that have tried to block the door down through history. The Church is actually the Mystical Body of Christ. He's alive! He's got injuries, because He's wanted all of us humans to be part of that Body. But the injuries can be healed (says this strange doctor!). As we renew our appreciation for the Gift today, we can be renewing our willingness to help heal.

The Church uses the term 'pneumatology' (airflow) to describe the Holy Spirit. Think of how the wind blows a sailing ship and how a pneumatic drill works. They're images used to describe how God can help us travel across the 'sea of live' and have the power to break through the 'wall of sin'! Jesus actually uses the image of wind with Nicodemus (John 3 ) to describe how we should be humbly open to the way the faith describes the destiny of our lives: "When the wind blows you can feel it but you may not know from where it comes or to where it's going!".

The Spirit seems to be the motor of 'missionary' life. When Jesus went to begin preaching in the synagogue, it says he was moved by the Holy Spirit and He began by saying "The Spirit of the Lord is on me -He sent me to heal broken hearts, give good news to the poor etc (Luke 4:16 +). It's relevant that the Gospel of John says that on the Cross Jesus lowered his head and gave up his Spirit (John 19:30 ). That may seem to some like a fancy way of saying that he breathed his last and died, but the verb used for 'giving up' was used by the ancient Greeks for an action like presenting a gift. In other words it's not a referrence to the end of the Good News (Gospel), but to the beginning! to the fact that the Life and Love of God was in the process of being given to mankind. From there a huge process was begun! It's referring to his physical death but much more -He opened the door for us all to recieve the Holy Spirit. It says that when a lance was cast in his side to ensure that he was dead, then blood and water flowed out. That actually represents the Holy Spirit and it's relevant that in every mass the priest mixes drops of water with the wine. That also symbolises our simple humanity mixed with God's glorious divinity in the encarnation. The priest then prays that the Holy Spirit come over the hosts and the chalice and thereby the consecration proceeds so they become the body and blood of Christ for us to comulgate. But as we take communion, we're really saying "I love you, Father, Jesus and Spirit". Our God is Trinity, and all three are lovely. If you love your Dad on earth (your 'Abba') Do you love his right arm more than his left? And do you love Our Father and Jesus while ignoring the Spirit?

And what would you say if the Spirit humbly asks if you'll let Him dwell in you? As St Paul writes: 'Don't you realize you are temples of the Holy Spirit? You've been well bought' (1 Cor 6:19 ). St Paul lived through the years 66-70, when the situation of Jerusalem went through a lot of turmoil, so one would expect someone like Paul to tighten up and close doors. We should all be faithful in conserving our faith, but Paul avoided forming a religion of static theology and ethics, because he realised that mankind should always be open to the Holy Spirit bringing novelties.

As the priest at mass holds his hands over the bread and wine and prays to God to send his Spirit to 'consecrate' them (make them sacred), he's also praying over the people before him in the congregation. We ask for the Spirit to touch all our hearts so we can all become a 'consecrated' family. The 'doors that were locked' get opened wide!

Thanks! Danka! Gracias! Grazie! Merci! Obrigado! Go raibh maith agat!

Dara

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