Saturday 30 May 2020

PENTECOST SUNDAY, YEAR A


Acts 1:1-11
Ps 103
1 Co. 12:3-7,12-13
John 20:19-23

PENTECOST: THE LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCE 

We commemorate today the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples. The event took place on Pentecost, the Jewish Harvest Festival or Feast of the Weeks, an occasion when the Jews recalled their covenant with God on Mount Sinai, fifty days after their liberation from Egypt.

In the gospel, the Risen Jesus appeared to his disciples on the evening of the day of the Resurrection. They had locked themselves in the room out of fear of the Jews. The Risen stood in their midst, gave them peace and said: “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” To empower them for this mission of continuing his work on earth, Jesus breathed on them and said: “Receive the Holy Spirit…” The disciples were filled with joy not only because they saw the Risen Lord, but also because they were renewed, recreated in the Holy Spirit.

As such, the transforming Pentecost experience was to confirm the Spirit they received on the Sunday of the Resurrection and to “outdoor” the Church. The symbolisms of wind and tongue of fire were significant. With the descending of the Holy Spirit, the Jesus’ group was henceforth open to everyone, freely involving anyone it comes across as the wind, having a burning and transforming power like fire. Thus, the Holy Spirit freed the disciples from cowardice and fear, empowering them to proclaim boldly the wonders of God to people of every language (Acts 1:1-11).

At our baptism, we too received the same Holy Spirit who gave each of us special gifts or charisms for the service and building up of the Body of Christ, the Church. Thus, our talents and special gifts are not for our self-aggrandizement. They are meant to help us work as a harmonious unit in which each contributes to the building of the community. It is the same Spirit that is working in us all, making us brothers and sisters in the Risen Lord. It is high time therefore to do away with our superiority complex, egoistic attitudes, divisions, unnecessary discriminations etc. and focus on accomplishing the mission entrusted to us.

May the Holy Spirit fall afresh on us, mold us, fill us and enable us to use our gifts and talents for true witnessing to Christ. Amen


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