Like Wind & Fire

From the Catholic Liturgy for Pentecost Sunday, June 9, 2019. Reading: Acts 2:1-11. Theme: Like Wind and Fire

Pentecost Sunday is called the birthday of the Catholic Church.  Ever since Jesus began gathering disciples and forming a community, the Church existed of course, but in a kind of unseen way, much like a child in the womb. And on that first Christian Pentecost, like an unborn baby finally being delivered, this Church-in-the-womb burst forth out into the streets of Jerusalem with excitement and joyful cries of gladness!  

Pentecost is also called the first Confirmation in the Catholic Church. As we who have been confirmed know, that sacrament is the giving of the fullness of the Holy Spirit to those who have been baptized, empowering us to become witnesses to Jesus among others by our words and behavior. Pentecost was the launching of the mission of the Church, the mission of every individual Christian, to boldly proclaim the message about Jesus to the world!

We can easily imagine the dramatic scene of that first Pentecost Sunday that we heard about in today’s reading from the Book of Acts. The presence of God the Holy Spirit is described in the amazing symbols of wind and fire.  And even though the one and same Holy Spirit continues to be given to us, it is quite unusual for this giving to be accompanied by such dramatic manifestations.  Sometimes, however, God knows that we need to be reminded that what we believe, what we celebrate is real. It can be so easy for us to take the rituals for granted and see them as routine and so, sometimes God does the unusual for us.  Whenever I come across this Pentecost story I cannot help but recall what I experienced at a Confirmation in this very church many years ago. (listen to the audio version of this homily for the story).

I think that God does these extraordinary things for us every now and then so that we do not forget that it is all very real. And by doing so he reminds us to ponder these signs and realize what the Holy Spirit does for us…

 
Wind...is an extremely powerful force that can move things of unimaginable weight. Just look at what a hurricane or tornado can do! This symbol of the Spirit reminds us that he is invisible strength, enabling us to do things that we did not think possible for us.  This wind of the Spirit drives us, pushes us out of our comfort zones, and empowers us to witness to Jesus even in difficulty, so that we never tire of doing what is right, even if to do so is extremely hard.

Fire...is an energy that has the ability to be harnessed as fuel for action. One of the most ancient prayers to the Spirit, which our cantor sang for us during the Alleluia this morning, invokes him to come and enkindle within us the fire of his love.  By the Spirit’s kindling of this love within us, which grows into flames and then becomes a blaze, we can be set on fire with a love for God and others that is so dynamic that we become living witnesses and messengers of Christ. And these sparks of love within us can jump from us onto others and set them afire with love for God.

The wind and fire of the Spirit turned the apostles into credible witnesses to the person and message of Jesus of Nazareth and this transformation can also happen to each one of us.   Their message was a message which is as relevant and necessary to people today as it was to those living 2,000 years ago in Jerusalem.  Because while fashions and languages may change, the deep spiritual wounds and the needs of the human heart remain the same. The Spirit shows us how to meet these needs and share with others what Christ means in our lives, how our relationship with him enables us to be faithful to our marriages and families, to become better friends, nicer neighbors, more competent workers, and loyal citizens striving to spread and build God’s kingdom of peace and justice.

This message that the apostles began preaching on that first Pentecost and which has been handed down to us and can be summed up in one simple Bible verse from the Gospel of St. John: “God so loved the world that he sent his only Son so that whoever believes in him might not perish but have eternal life.”

This Message is the message of Pentecost.  It is the message of Christianity. This is the Message each one of us are called to proclaim by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit within us. So, let’s ask this Holy Spirit to move us like the wind and come down upon us like fire, so that we can give witness to Jesus and share this message among those with whom we live, work and socialize.