Pentecost Sunday - The Church is born of the Spirit!

(Wesley Arning)

"Come Holy Spirit, come! And from your celestial home

Shed a ray of light divine!

The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052426-Day

O God, who by the mystery of today's great feast

sanctify your whole Church in every people and nation,

pour out, we pray, the gifts of the Holy Spirit

across the face of the earth

and, with the divine grace that was at work 

when the Gospel was first proclaimed,

fill now once more the hearts of believers.

(from the Collect)

 

I enjoy live theatre productions so three years ago I had the opportunity with parishioner friends, to attend a live theatre production of the Broadway musical, “Come from away.” It's a memorable entertainment experience with actors in lively song and dance who relate a true and inspiring positive event which came from the tragedy of 9/11 in New York City.

When the twin towers were destroyed, the air space over the U.S. was closed and all planes flying to and out of the U.S. had to be immediately grounded! To the amazement of citizens in Gander, New Foundland, 48 of those enormous planes put down on their long-abandoned air strip.  In the matter of a few hours the population of Gander was doubled from nearly 7,000 residents to an equal number of now stranded travellers from countries as far away as Africa. The ultimate question from the stranded passengers and strangers as they were initially trapped in their planes for hours, not knowing what might come next, was “Now what?”

Within hours, these stranded strangers experienced the impressive hospitality offered by the citizens of Gander. Even more so they were surprised by the way in which they bonded with other passengers in solidarity and recognized the power of their common humanity and the force of good that overcame their initial fear and hesitation.

In one scene from the play, titled “the prayer,” two of the actors request a private and quiet place to pray at the town library. Then another and another one coming from a local Catholic Church, Rosary in hand. Meanwhile one actor enters and begins to sing the Prayer of St. Francis with the verse, “Make me a channel of your peace . . .” It was a beautiful moment in which we saw the grace of God create unity in the midst of diversity as people live out the message of peace rather than violence in contrast to the horrific actions in New York.  It is peace and trust not violence and fear that bind people together in a common unity. The same is true of the Holy Spirit as we mark this day of Pentecost.

In our Gospel on this beautiful Sunday, Jesus appears to his frightened and confused disciples in their locked room on the day of his resurrection.  He says to them: “Peace be with you.” Then confers on them his breath, the Holy Spirit with the authority to forgive sins in his name. It is that breath of God, that Holy Spirit, that third person of the Trinity, who heals, creates life, brings hope and peace, and importantly creates a unity in the midst of a diverse and formally broken and discouraged disciples. As God, after creating the first man, Adam in (Gen. 2:7) blew into his nostrils the breath of life, so the same here in a most dramatic way, that same Spirit blows upon the Apostles the breath of a new covenant between God and humanity, established in the death and resurrection of Christ.

The power of wind carried those passengers to their unintended destination in Gander.

On this day, we witness how the power of wind is heard in the upper room. As God created the universe, as we hear in the first versus of the book of Genesis, when it was yet formless and in chaos, the spirit, the wind, blew over the waters to bring life and order.

When Moses went up Mt. Sinai, the book of Exodus relates, to receive the commandments of the Lord, fire was seen and wind was blowing. These signs of the Spirit continue the express not only a divine presence but also a transformation and a new beginning.  The Church was born in fire and the waters of baptism, in the blood and water from the side of Christ on the cross, and this explosion of divine energy upon the Apostles, transforming them to become the bold and convicted first missionaries of the Good News, Jesus had brought.

The multiple “tongues of fire,” that strange event, signify the reversal of the pride of Babel. When human arrogance thought they could reach God and by human power establish a unity, here we see that God has brought around the unity we as his created ones so failed at doing by our own power.

Did the Apostles themselves speak different ancient languages or did the thousands gathered from around the ancient world in Jerusalem for the Jewish feast of Pentecost, wonderfully hear the message in their varied native tongues? Nonetheless the Gospel was proclaimed now to all the world through the Spirit’s intervention. That common message brought by our Lord is meant for all humanity.  Though we may find language a barrier to communication at times, faith has brought us together as one in Christ.

In the beautiful second reading from Corinthians, among other varied choices, we hear: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone . . .”

Today it is undeniable how broken and divided we have become.  The dark spirit is at work, rejoicing in the division, hatred, animosity, and lack of trust that is rampant these days. The dignity of the human person has been corrupted and distorted in forms and presented as the "norm" rather than the exception.  We are not united but divided and trust in leadership has been so damaged in some areas, how can it be restored?

By divine grace and a return to God we need a Pentecost experience. As we live out the mission Christ has entrusted to us we can bring that renewal to the world around us. What happened at Gander as strangers united in a common bond so the world can benefit from the power of Grace in the unity we create within the church. We need to catch the wind of the Spirit in our own hearts to be witnesses of Christ increasingly, no matter the cost.  We sow seeds of peace and reconciliation and not stand at the corners of a "cancel culture." Woke ideology is a lie and we need to step back and choose to not participate in such a dangerous and God-less way of life.

So, let us be people of the Spirit and to live by the Spirit given to us at baptism and confirmation and who is always present in our prayer.

In the Eucharistic gathering each week we see the work of the Spirit in its visible form. With Christ present among us, his breath blows and gathers a diverse community where all are welcome, all are called to conversion of life, and all can be fed by the Lord, our food for the journey.

“Make us all channels of your Peace, O Holy Spirit.”

The Ascension of the Lord - It's not over yet!

 

"I am with you always until the end of the age"

Matthew 28: 16-20

The Word:https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051726-Ascension

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Gladden us with holy joys, almighty God, 

and make us rejoice with devout thanksgiving,

for the Ascension of Christ your Son

is our exaltation,

and where the Head has gone before in glory,

the Body is called to follow in hope.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,

who lives and reigns with you in the unity

of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever.

(Collect of Feast)

How many “goodbyes” have you had in your life?  Leaving home and going away to college, getting married, moving to a new location, sadly the “goodbye” of losing a loved one to death.  We would rather say hello than goodbye to those we love. It’s not easy, it can be painful and sad but our Christian faith tempers sadness with hope. I’ve often compared the number of our baptisms to our funerals.  This year we’re doing well; we’ve had more “helloes” than “goodbyes” or the opposite.  Such as the realities of life.

As Jesus ascended into heaven, Luke tells us the Apostles were simply standing there in wonder staring at the sky into which Jesus apparently disappeared.  This certainly seemed like a definite goodbye and then the angels reminded them that the goodbye is not forever; he will return as you saw him go.  A clear word of hope and a reminder of the same words spoken to us when a loved one dies. But there is much more involved.

On this Feast of the Ascension of the Lord, Jesus issues a command to his inner circle of disciples. It’s not a forceful or threatening “command” but rather an expressed desire as Jesus says to them: “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father . . . “While I imagine he issued this command in a firm but supportive way, it seems to me there’s no grey area when you simply “Go” and carry on the mission Jesus has begun. It is both exciting and cautious at the same time. Don’t just stand there staring in the sky, get on about the work of the Gospel to spread the message of Christ everywhere.  

The Apostles are called to preach as Jesus’ preached, to heal as Jesus healed, to meet opposition with non-violence and courage as Jesus did, and to remain steadfast in the core message of the good news of Jesus death and resurrection, “teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you . . . “

So, we might imagine the Apostles as courageous, stalwart individuals who got their act together and set out for all corners of the ancient world spread far and wide with the message of the Gospel.  Yet even they knew that when we join forces together as the People of God, we can, united in love, bring about a transformative experience that will move the direction of the world away from hatred and violence to unity and peace. It is a daunting task and we’re up against forceful opposition but it is Christ who works in his Church through the commitment of many and aids us in overcoming negative forces. The following story may illustrate this point beautifully. 

A teacher named Mark was in his second year of teaching, in the middle of the term, when the principal brought a new boy to the 4th grade classroom.  His name was Thomas, and Thomas had Turrets syndrome.  Now for those of you who are not familiar with Turrets should know that those who have this syndrome are intelligent people, but they are not able to control their bodies because of involuntary jerks and sudden movements that affect their movement and frequently their speech.

Thomas adjusted rather well to the 4th grade class, but his biggest challenge was reading.  In reading class each of the students took turns reading a paragraph out loud.  This was something that Thomas was embarrassed to do.  He understood the paragraph, but he knew that in reading it aloud there would be many false starts and stutters.  It was something that he was afraid to attempt.

So when Mark would ask, “Thomas, are you willing to read to the class today?”  Thomas would beg, “Please Mr. Harris.  Don’t make me read before the class!”  Mark never forced him to read.  But, he thought that it was important to keep asking.  This went on for months, until one day, Mark said, “Thomas, are you willing to read to the class today?”  “I can’t.” said Thomas.  But a girl in the next row said, “Yes you can, Thomas.  Give it a try.  If you get stuck, I’ll help you.”  And from across the classroom, another boy cried out, “Go for it Thomas.  Give it a shot.  If you get stuck, I’ll call out the word and all you’ll need to do is repeat it.”

So, Thomas very tentatively stood up at his desk and opened his book.  He began to read the paragraph.  Almost at every syllable – Thomas froze.  But then, someone would call out the word or the syllable and he would repeat it.  Thus, word by word, syllable by syllable, Thomas made his way through the paragraph.  By the time that he came to the end, almost everyone in the class had called out a word or had done something to help.  When he finally finished the last word, he closed his book and looked up.  The entire class burst into applause.  Then, Mark said that he saw something he had never seen before since Thomas entered the class.  He saw Thomas smile.  And, with a sweep of accomplishment, he took a triple bow.

The opposition the Apostles encountered on their missionary journeys as Jesus sent them out with the phrase: “Go, therefore . . . “was real and life threatening in many cases. But despite that, like the children who stood with Thomas in the classroom, so Jesus stands by his disciples in the power of his Spirit not only then but especially now

Jesus promised the Apostles that though he will not be physically present to them any longer, he will still be present in his Spirit in the Church, though his teaching and their faithfulness: “And behold, I am with you always until the end of the age . . . “

The Ascension of the Lord is not the end of a life lived on earth but rather a moment in the journey to eternity where God has taken humanity to heaven with Jesus and a reminder that it’s not complete until Christ comes again.  As St. Paul reminds us today to carry on what he began until he returns.  We don’t look up for Christ, we look forward and around us where he makes himself present in others, in the sacraments, in the works of mercy and love, in the body of the Church and every member of the body.

Let’s call out the words we need to hear; words of support, of acceptance, of forgiveness, of love and understanding.  

 

6th Sunday of Easter - Can I hear the Spirit?

"I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you"

John 14: 15-21

https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/051026.cfm

Grant, almighty God, 

that we may celebrate with heartfelt devotion these days of joy,

which we hope in honor of the risen Lord,

and that what we relive in remembrance

we may always hold to in what we do.

Through our Lord Jesus Christ your Son, 

who lives nd reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

God, for ever and ever.

(from Collect)

At the beginning of the last century, one of the most desirable and attractive technical jobs was to serve as a radio operator on one of the luxury ships that regularly crossed the Atlantic Ocean.  To hold this job you had to understand the operation of the primitive radios that were available at that time. But you also had to master Morse code, which was a technical language of longer and shorter beeps that could be sent over the radio by which the ships could communicate with one another. 

On one occasion, one of the most successful cruise lines advertised a position for a radio operator.  The waiting room for the line’s office where the interviews were taking place was filled to capacity.  Over 50 people were waiting to interview for the job.  They were talking to one another in voices loud enough to make themselves heard over the public address system which every so often would announce that the interviews would soon begin.  In the midst of this activity, a young man entered the room and filled out an application for the job.  He then sat down by himself for a few moments.  Suddenly he stood up and went through a door marked “private.”  A few minutes later he returned with a big smile on his face and announced that he had been hired for the job.  This caused one of the applicants to protest.  “Look,” he said, “we were here hours before you arrived.  Why was it that you went in for your interview before us?”  The young man replied, “Any one of you here could have landed this job, but you weren’t listening.  Over the PA system there was a constant message being sent in Morse code.  The message was this, “We desire to hire a person who is always alert.  So if you hear this message, come immediately into the private office.” This story is a good image of our relationship to the Holy Spirit. The Spirit of God is always with us, and yet we must listen to appreciate that presence. 

Same is true with our spiritual life.  While we have no control over what God will do, if we will or desire holiness the way is to take the Lord seriously, participate in a sacramental life, allow him to be the center of our lives, and be open to the Spirit’s grace.  Our way is one of humility, prayer, and selfless service to those in need. Everything else is grace by God’s will.

The Gospel scene today is a kind of farewell, a last testimony to the Apostles before Jesus returns to his Father.  They know he has given them much to ponder and to understand. Here he reassures them that if they truly remain in his love, they will be able to understand more fully and deeply all that he has given them. If they listen for his voice, they will understand the message.

We must believe in our hearts and lives that God always wills our good.  In fact, God is incapable of doing evil, though at times we may wonder why he allows so much of it but always wills us good.  In fact, the definition of love by St. Thomas Aquinas reminds us that love is “to will the good of another.” Jesus promises his Apostles that though he may be leaving their physical sight, he will send another “advocate” to stand by their side.  And by that Spirit, though invisible, we become a constant presence of himself and guide them along the way of truth, beauty and goodness. In essence, it is the way we too must live our life in the Spirit now through our love for Christ and one another and our participation in the sacraments, especially the holy Eucharist.  This is what Jesus desires for those who profess faith in him and how we can encounter the risen Lord.

The Spirit will come to them and abide with them as the Spirit will gradually unfold for them the fullness of who Jesus is and what their mission will demand. That is divine reassurance that though he leaves, he remains with them in the Holy Spirit. This will bring about what every Christian should desire and hope for: that deeper experience of the love of God. But his presence may work silently, gradually, gently like the morse code beneath the PA message in our earlier story.

In speaking of love, Jesus is not referring to affection, emotion, or warm feelings, the usual indicator of love for another.  What he is requesting of his Apostles is their loyalty.  We can rephrase: “If you are loyal to me (love me), you will keep my commandments.”

We might use the example of a married couple who show their deepest love for the other by their loyalty: for better for worse, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, until death. I will remain faithful or loyal to you throughout our marriage and in that way I indicate my true love for you. It is beyond feelings and sharing good times. If a husband stands in defence of his wife or a wife in defence of her husband, that certainly indicates a level of love that is lived out in loyalty. If he or she stands by the bedside of a seriously ill or mentally deficient spouse, such loyalty reveals their true love lived out in deeds of faithfulness.  Same, in the case of disciples of the Lord with far greater results.

Our first reading from the Acts of the Apostles is a wonderful example of this.  The pressure was on for the early Christian communities in Jerusalem and that area since they were increasingly becoming viewed as a threat to Judaism and the Jewish way of life with its multiple legal requirements.

There the Spirit begins to work as the crowds all listened attentively to the message of Philip, as they witnessed exorcisms and healings being worked. As he baptized these new converts, both Peter and John, came to join him as they imposed hands and prayed for the coming of the Spirit upon the new Christians.  In the case, we hear what may sound to us of the origin of the sacrament of Confirmation. These primary Apostles, the first Bishops of the Church and leaders among the believers, like our own Bishop today, are called to lay hands and pray over those to receive the Spirit.

As the early Apostles and the early Christians found themselves with a new direction and a new social order of love, forgiveness, reconciliation, peace and service, they came to understand more deeply the meaning of Jesus’ mission and that of their own in the world.  In the end, this made them unique among the culture around them.  Yet, they remained loyal to the end and countless thousands even went to martyrdom for the sake of the Gospel.

Where there is a will there is a way.  The will to love and be loyal to the way of Christ, will lead us on the path to eternity. The Gospel is timeless and the Spirit is constantly present guiding us to understand that “deposit of faith” as we call it but pay attention to what God is doing in your life. Pay attention to hear the “morse code” which calls us to holiness.

 

5th Sunday of Easter: The way to the Father's house

 

"Do not let your hearts be troubled"

John 14: 1-12

The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/050326.cfm

Almighty ever-living God,

constantly accomplish the Paschal Mystery within us, 

that those you were pleased to make new in Holy Baptism

may, under your protective care, bear much fruit

and come to the joys of life eternal.

(from Collect of Mass)

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Our Gospel this Sunday begins with the words that we heard spoken by the Angel Gabriel to Mary or by a parent to their frightened child: “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” – Be not afraid.

The scene is at the Last Supper as Jesus encourages his disciples that although they will see what might appear to be the end of their Jesus plan, it is not the end but only the beginning of a greater plan by God.  Though the brutal suffering and crucifixion are on the horizon, after the resurrection, they will not be abandoned. So he assures them: Do not let your hearts be troubled.

But this is far more than the loss of a dear friend.  It is more than just a temporary absence or a vacation in which they will be reunited again.  Jesus reassures his disciples they will have a place in his Father’s house (heaven) and so too will we.  For now, they must carry on the mission of Christ entrusted to them and build up the Church he has established.  In that way, they begin to form the Father’s house in the community of the Church which is fulfilled in eternal life. So, it is a now and yet to come assurance that in a sense, the best is yet to come despite what may appear as failure through the cross.

The question of Thomas, “Master, we do not know where you are going; how can we know the way?” strikes me as reasonable as these disciples have not yet experienced the resurrection. They are thinking in earthly, logical terms.  Jesus, in John’s Gospel, speaks in spiritual terms so it is another example of their gradual understanding of who Jesus is and the purpose of his mission to humanity, which is God’s itself.  Thomas does not need a road map or a GPS to show him the way.  He needs a Person who is the way itself. 

Jesus states you see me, you see the Father – this is what God is like, Jesus tells and shows us. When Jesus speaks, God speaks. Although this intimate group had seen and heard much up to this point the fullness of understanding is still hidden from them. Our Lord himself is the way to eternity. 

It may also be the question of our day.  Think for a moment.  What did these Apostles have to go on - The Hebrew Scriptures (Old Testament) and Jesus himself.  How learned were they in the fine points of the sacred scriptures: the Torah, the Law and the Prophets?  Likely not to the point they were able to connect the dots very easily, yet so much was part of their cultural experience and they came to know inherently as a Jewish people.

So, they had the person of Jesus himself.  They heard his teaching and they witnessed strange and miraculous events. We see in the first reading from Acts how the Church, in the face of growth, responded creatively as the Holy Spirit led them to see a great need for equality and fairness among the Greek and Aramaic speaking Christians. Yet, they still didn’t have much more than the testimony of the Apostles to go on and their direct experience of the Spirit among them. Eventually through the Apostles and St. Paul, the link between Old and New Testaments is uncovered and found to be fulfilled in Christ Jesus.

By comparison, what do we have?  Thousands of years of Christian history: Theologians, Doctors of the Church, Saints, Tradition, the New Testament Scriptures, not to mention overwhelming technological and scientific knowledge. It is far more than was available in the historical universe of ancient times.

Yet, we still ask the same question in this age of many distractions and miraculous medical science.  “You still do not know me?” Jesus addresses us. Every generation needs to hear the good news again and again.  The wealth of historical and spiritual treasure we have at our fingertips literally through the internet for example leaves us no excuse to remain unaware of the power of our Christian faith.

I think the focus of the Gospel and for our Christian lives is to once again hear the words of Jesus, which are astounding:  “I am the way and the truth and the life”  By this claim, he leaves for us no other choice and basically no option or door number two to walk through.  Jesus claims that he is THE way to the Father – to God; Jesus is the fullness of THE truth, and he brings us the promise and hope in THE life eternal.  If we find him, we need not search anywhere else and nothing else will fulfill or satisfy equally. And our faith life in the house of the Church is where we must remain to encounter the living Christ in sacraments, in word, in worship and in selfless works of charity.  In this way, our journey will take us to the true house of the Father in heaven where there are many dwelling places.

 Our second reading from Peter reminds us that the baptized are a “chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people of his own” called to greatness in the spiritual sense. So, maybe if we recognized our privilege not to be “holier than thou” but the privilege we hold in Christ to carry on his mission of self-less service, mercy, forgiveness and reconciliation, his good news in the world, we would not be so troubled by the world in which we live. To invite others to come to know the Lord Jesus in the ways we do it is more inspiring than simply words. We say what our Lord said to his first disciples: “Come and see.”

He is the way to the Father, the answer to our doubt, and the fullness of life that brings peace and harmony.  And as we gather in the Eucharist, in the presence of Christ risen and alive as our food and way, let us celebrate this gift of life and faith.