The Breath of Divine Life

From the Catholic Liturgy for Pentecost Sunday, June 4, 2017. Acts 2: 1-11; John 20:19-23.  NOTE: I knocked the recorder off the shelf about 6 minutes into this homily so that last couple of minutes are a bit hard to hear).

We Christians are doubly blessed to have two forms of life: natural life and supernatural life. And while they share some similar needs for proper growth and functioning, they are also very different. Through birth from our mothers we enter into our natural life, our physical life. And while the details of this life differ greatly vary among us, there are things we all must to do sustain and nurture it: we must breath and receive nourishment; we have to take care of ourselves and grow in maturity so that we can contribute to the well-being of the entire human family. Our supernatural life, the life of grace in our spiritual immortal souls, can be spoken about in much the same way. We first receive this life through birth from our mother the Church in the Sacrament of Baptism. It is nourished by the heavenly food and drink of the Eucharist and when wounded by sin it is healed in the Sacrament of Confession. This life of God within us is deepened and strengthened by Confirmation, which also provides us with gifts to be put at the service of God and others.

But the most fundamental thing that both our natural and supernatural lives need is breathing. And that’s where today’s Pentecost celebration of the Holy Spirit comes into play. You see in both of the ancient languages of the Bible, Hebrew and Greek, the one same word that means “breath” or “air” or “wind” also means Spirit. So how does the Holy Spirit bring this life-breath of God into us? Through the Christian community, the Church, primarily through the Sacraments, which practically speaking for us means through the parish.  And this is why our active participation in parish life is so very important! Our life, our supernatural life, literally depends upon it!  Where do we first receive the Spirit in Baptism and have his presence strengthened within us in Confirmation? Through the parish! Where are we fed with the Bread of Life in Holy Communion and receive healing for our bodies or souls by Confession and Anointing of the Sick? Through the parish!  It is no coincidence that whenever a government is hostile to the Faith seeks to destroy it, the first thing it goes after are the parishes. They are the heart of the Christian community.

Another way the Holy Spirit acts in a parish to give life is through the generosity of parishioners who put the gifts of the Spirit they have received at the service of God and others. It might be singing or playing an instrument to enhance worship; it might be compassion and understanding to minister to the sick and the poor; perhaps its teaching and the desire to share the Gospel with others; or perhaps you are a prayer-warrior who spends time in Eucharistic Adoration asking God to bless and strengthen us. The list is really endless. Whatever it might be, each one of you has received a gift to build up our parish and contribute to its life, the life of God. Check out today’s bulletin. Let’s be grateful to the Spirit for making each one of us his living temples. Grateful for the life he brings to us through the Sacraments. And grateful for the gifts he has bestowed upon each one of us so that like the disciples, we can go out and tell others about Jesus and all he has done for us.