A Franciscan Journey: Pentecost

Today we celebrate Pentecost – the outpouring of the Spirit upon the disciples. The lesson is simple yet profound: the triune God lives within us; and we within God. To paraphrase St. Paul: we are living temples of God.

Pentecost is not easy to celebrate visually. People in some medieval churches dropped burning straw from the ceiling to recreate the “fiery tongues.” That stopped when it set afire some churches. As for the dove symbolizing the Spirit, birds were released in French cathedrals. That was discontinued when people complained that something other than the Spirit dripped from the rafters.

Today, except for red vestments symbolizing fire, there's not much to see on Pentecost Sunday.

Yet the image I like best is “breath of God” or “gush of wind.” It's something you feel, “catching” the Spirit.

This is no happenstance hurricane or lightning (GO BOLTS). The power and energy and vitality of the Holy Spirit is moving wherever it wants, to recreate whatever it touches. Remember how the “dry bones” in the Book of Ezekiel felt God's Spirit bringing the “dry bones” back to life.

The power and energy and vitality of the Spirit is within us. It inspires us, moves us, so that we can be a channel of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-discipline.

Pentecost begins the mission of the Church, the people of God, your mission and mine, to continue the saving work of Jesus Christ. One way is by embodying the gifts of the Spirit: wisdom (to recognize what truly matters), intelligence (to discern what's true), courage, compassion, good judgment, and wonder and awe to worship the great God of this universe.

The word “Pentecost” is a Greek word meaning “fiftieth” – the fiftieth day after Passover. In the Christian tradition, Pentecost gradually celebrated the one aspect of the entire paschal mystery: the death, resurrection, ascension of Jesus and descent of the Spirit.

The Book of Acts describes how the Jews had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the festival. And suddenly the Spirit -- described in images of wind and fire (symbolizing power and energy and vitality) -- was poured out upon the disciples and emboldened them to preach the Gospel fearlessly: eventually to people around the then-known world.

The word of God asks: Do we do what's right? I always think of that clarion call: “If not you, who? And if not now, when?”

The letter of Paul to the Christian community at Corinth speaks about all the gifts the Spirit bestows upon us for the common good. Our own 21st century often lauds the individual over the community. Paul’s words are a powerful reminder to public officials, especially: to seek the common good in making the laws of our country.

The Gospel describes a post resurrection appearance of Jesus where the risen Christ breathes upon the disciples (as God breathed life into us in the Book of Genesis) and in that gesture bestows the Spirit.

Now, what does the Spirit do within us?

It’s an awesome truth of our faith: the God of the universe, the triune God, lives within us. Yes, we are new creatures, with a destiny of eternal life with God. That life has already begun in us, in the waters of baptism and nurtured in today's word and sacrament. And if you want to see what the Spirit can do, look at the early disciples: cowards hiding in an upper room and then transformed into heroes proclaiming from the rooftops that Jesus Christ is gloriously alive.

Let us pray on this feast that the Spirit whose gifts we already possess will empower us to live more fully the results of the Spirit’s presence: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-discipline--gifts which St. Paul describes so powerfully.

The same Spirit of God who spoke through the prophets of ancient Israel,

who overshadowed the Virgin Mary in Nazareth,

who energized the disciples in Jerusalem,

and who lives within the Church community and guides human history toward its ultimate fulfillment—

that same Spirit lives and breathes within us

and can transform us ever more fully into “living temples of God.”

So, we pray today,

“Come, Holy Spirit anew into our lives, and re-energize us so that we can see God more clearly, love God more dearly and follow God more nearly." Amen

The Mystery of Faith Pentecost

The image I like best is “breath of God” or “gush of wind.” It's something you feel, “catching” the Spirit.

This is no happenstance hurricane or lightning (GO BOLTS). The power and energy and vitality of the Holy Spirit is moving wherever it wants, to recreate whatever it touches.

In the Christian tradition, Pentecost gradually celebrated the one aspect of the entire paschal mystery: the death, resurrection, ascension of Jesus and descent of the Spirit.

The Spirit inspires us, moves us, so that we can be a channel of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, and self-discipline.