PENTECOST SUNDAY, YR A
Acts 2:1-11; Psalm 104;
1 Corinthians 12:3b-7; 12-13; John 20:19-23
HOLY SPIRIT THE SOUL OF THE CHURCH
Every year Catholics celebrate this day largely wearing white just as they do on Easter Sunday. In many churches too, there is the celebration of the sacrament of Confirmation. The sacrament of confirmation is celebrated this day because of its relationship with the Holy Spirit. Indeed, Confirmation is the sacrament in which we receive the fullness of the Holy Spirit and are empowered to become soldiers and martyrs (witnesses) of the gospel.
Pentecost Sunday itself is the celebration of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the church. A day which many people consider the inauguration of the Church. The day the church broke out of the cage of fear into the ears and life of the world. Therefore, this day is considered the birthday of the church.
On this day we are blessed with a reading from Paul who speaks to us about the working of the Holy Spirit in the Church, the body of Christ. Paul speaks of the deep bond that exists between the Holy Spirit and the Church.
For Paul it is the Holy Spirit that gives us the conviction that Jesus is Lord and saviour. He keeps us from every kind of deception regarding Jesus Christ. Over the years many heresies have arisen regarding the nature and role of Jesus in salvation history. Some have taught that he is not divine, other doubt that he is the saviour, still other held that he did not really die on the cross. But the Holy Spirit in the Church has guided the church to hold on to the truth about Jesus. The church has and always teaches that the Lord Jesus, is the image of the invincible God, who is one with the father is the saviour of all mankind. Without the Holy Spirit what would have become of the Church.
Even in our day, many have sought to equal Jesus to other spiritual or religious leaders. They hold that there are many ways to discover the divine or the supreme energy in the world. But this is false. Jesus is not one of the spiritual gurus, not only an excellent teacher. He is the son of God most high who comes to reveal the God who created the world to us, and introduced him to us as father. He is the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world. Jesus is above all and apart from all.
It is the Holy Spirit who gives the believer this conviction. He keeps us save from every kind of deception as far as the doctrine about Jesus is concerned. Anyone who does not have this singular distinctive conviction (that Jesus is Lord) does not have the Holy Spirit. it is Jesus and he alone is the Lord of all. May the Holy Spirit help that we may not fall away.
The Holy Spirit pours his gifts upon the church for the common good. These gifts are seen in the manifesting the members of the Church. Those who possess these gifts have it because of their membership of the Christian community. The gifts do not belong to the individuals but for the common good of the whole community. For this reason, the community has some control over the gifts in the way it is used. These gifts cannot be personalised it is for the common good.
The Holy Spirit does not bless the Church with his gifts to divide the church but make her one in her diversity of gifts. The gifts help the church in her mission in the world. There must therefore be cohesion in the church as far as the practice of the gifts are concerned. There should never be any kind of distinction in the Church as far the gifts are concerned. Since the different kinds of gifts comes from the same Holy Spirit, people cannot be ranked or discriminated against in respect of the gifts. Whenever the gifts become the reason for division, it a negation of the work of the Holy Spirit. Whoever is the source of division is knowingly or unknowingly being used by the devil.
Our common identity in Christ is another working of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church. At baptism we all receive the same Holy Spirit, the soul of the church. The Holy Spirit binds one believer to the other and forms us into one Church, the body of Christ. The Early church was made up of Jews, Greeks, rich, poor, slaves and masters. The Holy spirit forms us all into one body of Christ. He makes us one. It the reason why Paul noted that there is no difference between Jew or Greek because we all have the same Lord and the same Spirit. ( Rom 10:12)
Therefore, the one who sits beside you on the pew at Mass is brother and sister. The one who kneels beside you at Mass to pray, is a fellow pilgrim. Next time you find yourself in Church say hello to the person siting beside you. How beautiful it would be for us to greet one another in town with Christian greetings like “praise the Lord; now and forever” or the greetings of our parishes.
It is rather unfortunate that there exist subtly some times discrimination even in the Church on the levels of tribe, race and social class. All these are contrary to the working of the Holy Spirit. We must open our hearts to allow the Holy Spirit to work in and through us.
May the Holy Spirit continue to work in the church. May work in and through us all.
God bless you.
BY Rev. Fr. Delight Arnold Carbonu
