Today
the entire Church celebrates its birth, and commemorates the coming of the Holy Spirit with great
power on Mary and the Apostles; and into the hearts of all those who would
believe because of their preaching and teaching and be baptized in the name of the Father and of the Son and
of the Holy Spirit.
On Ascension Thursday (10 days
ago) Jesus announced that another Advocate,
the Gift of the Father (and himself)
would arrive soon, so that Truth may be firmly rooted now in the world (in the hearts
and consciences of the faithful – and everyone else), and that there is now to
be achieved no other goal than to experience the peace that the world cannot give: the peace which is the Spirit, the peace which is the forgiveness of sins, the peace
and life which continues to flow forth from
the pierced and Sacred heart of the crucified Christ.
But in order for there to be
peace: we must seek after it, ask for it, and be ready to receive it, as it wants to fall upon us – not according to our own prescriptions, but rather
God’s. And when it falls on us, it falls like
the dewfall, to invigorate us, refresh us, enflame us and move us to ministries of service among
the community of believers: and as St. Paul tells the Corinthians there are many different gifts and ministries but the one
and same Spirit working through all of them to build one Church to glorify God
who is one. All can now be one in Christ: from the many lands, from the
many nations. “Jesus is Lord” – the
One Lord - is the cry of the true Christian; it pierces the darkness of the
world like a bolt of lightning – and by it the world can see where it is going,
and be renewed from deep down inside –
for truth turns everything upside down!
What a spectacle it must have
been for those gathered from many nations
in Jerusalem to hear these twelve men, all Galileans, speaking to them in their own language – the one word of Praise,
the one word of Victory, the one word of Hope – telling them that the Crucified
is very much alive, and that forgiveness of sins must be preached to the ends
of the earth! It is such a tragedy in life to carry around baggage and guilt
that doesn’t really need to be carried anymore – all are invited to be free:
free to be who God intended them to be all along – his children, his helpers in
building a kingdom of love!
And so, it is up to us who
have been baptized, confirmed and ordained to recommit ourselves today to our
membership in such an astounding organism, and invite others to join it: the
living Body of the Risen Christ; the Mystical Body of Love and Peace; and may
our efforts in this coming “work season” of the “green-vestmented time of the
Church year” be fragrant, fruitful, and above all, full of the blessings of God
upon us!
Holy Spirit,
give us virtue’s sure reward;
give us your salvation, Lord;
give us joys that never end. Amen.
ALLELUIA!
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