Acts 2: 1-11; Psalm104; 1 Corinthians 12: 3b-7, 12-13;
John 14: 15-16, 23b-26
Happy Pentecost and Happy Birthday everyone! If you use your modern calendar as a guide, and you factor in a few assumptions of modern historians, today the Church celebrates its 1,983rd Birthday (give or take a few years). Just about 2000 years ago, the Apostles sat together much like us sitting here, and wondered what was to happen next? What happened was the unexpected power of Pentecost!
Pentecost actually means “the fiftieth”. The term, adopted from the Greek-speaking Jews of the day alludes to the fact that the feast, known in the Old Testament as "the feast of harvest of the first fruits." (Exodus 23:16) It is also called “the feast of weeks" (Exodus 34:22;Deuteronomy 16:10: 2 Chronicles 8:13), or, as called by later Jews asereth or asartha, meaning solemn assembly, and a "closing festival". We too can say that Pentecost is the closing festival of the harvest and also that of the Paschal Easter season, as it falls on the fiftieth day from "the next day after the Sabbath" of the Passover (Leviticus 23:11). (New Advent Online Encyclopedia) Always keeping in mind their devout commitment to their faith, the Apostles gathered and recognized this Jewish Feast, much like they gathered with Christ some 53 days earlier, celebrating his Last Supper on the Feast of Passover.
One key feature of such festivals is that they are usually times of recognition and celebration, bringing together entire communities. The Apostles, however, were in their room alone, waiting for something… anything… that would give them some indication of what to do next or where to go. In their defense they had already seen the Lord’s resurrected body in person, and watched him ascend into the heavens, promising to send them “the Advocate, the holy Spirit… [that would] teach [them] everything and remind [them] of all that [the Lord had] told [them].” (John 14:26) So it would seem that they were confident and ready. Today’s first reading recounts that very moment when God breathed life into the Church just like that very first breath into the body of Adam, sending us forth to proclaim The Word of God to everyone we meet, witness to the glory of the resurrection of His Son Jesus Christ, and share the healing power of the Holy Spirit!
This is the same Holy Spirit that breathed across the mighty water of the abyss at the dawn of creation. (Genesis 1;1-2) And the same Holy Spirit that Ezekiel witnessed as it animated the dry bones in the desert to grow flesh, so as to stand and give glory to God, giving us an example of the ideal way to live the covenant with the Lord. (Ezekiel 37:1) The same Holy Spirit hovered over the waters of the River Jordan as John baptized our Lord, and it was present at our own baptisms stating then and now that “You are my beloved…; with you I am well pleased!” (Luke 3:22) And that same Holy Spirit breathed life into the New Creation as Christ gave his last breath on the cross, “handing over the spirit” (John 19:30) for us all! Which brings us back to today’s Feast of Pentecost, and the commemoration of the coming of the Holy Spirit to the Apostles, for just like us here today, “they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.” (Acts 2: 1-4) And that they did! They left the comfort of their small room, went out into the square, and back to their homelands speaking their own language and sharing the Good News through word and deed!
So, if you’ve been counting, it has been 53 days since we celebrated the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, and 50 days since we celebrated the Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Happy Birthday Church! Today is Pentecost! The Festival of Harvest of the First Fruits! The Feast of Weeks! Today is the day that we are no longer in hiding, but out in our own streets proclaiming the Gospel through word and deed! Today we are reminded once again that Holy Spirit, the Paraclete, the Advocate promised to us all is here to help us learn and understand, and give us the strength we need to share the Good News of Jesus Christ… Alleluia, Alleluia!
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