Homily For The Feast Of Pentecost (Mass During The Day) May 28, 2023
“..And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Romans 5:5)
Pentecost Sunday Readings
My Dearest Friends in Christ,
About The Feast Of Pentecost
Today, we celebrate the great feast of Pentecost. It is the feast of the descent of the Holy Spirit upon our Blessed Mother Mary and the Apostles in the form of fiery tongues of fire. This feast signifies the birth of the Church’s missionary activity, as we witness the transformation of the frightened Apostles into fearless preachers and evangelizers. It is also a feast of unification, represented by the gift of tongues that united everyone in hearing the apostolic preaching of Peter in their native language, thereby reversing the curse of Babel mentioned in Genesis 11:7. Indeed, Pentecost is a feast of renewal, symbolizing the renewal of God’s creation.
Celebrated 50 days after Easter by Christians or 50 days after Passover by the Jews, this feast holds a special place in Christianity due to the profound influence of the Holy Spirit, the Third Person of the Blessed Trinity, on our Christian life.
What Catholic Theology Teaches About The Holy Spirit
According to Catholic Theology, the Holy Spirit proceeds from the Father and the Son as from a single principle (filioque). He is adored and glorified together with the Father and the Son. The Holy Spirit spoke through the Prophets in the past and continues to speak through the Prophets of our time and the magisterium. Therefore, the Holy Spirit is known as the Teacher, the Advocate, the Consoler, the Helper, and the Counselor. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of Love because Love unites. He is the Love of the Father and the Son, the Love that binds the Trinity as one. As John Paul II said in Dominum et Vivificantem no. 10, “Through the Holy Spirit, God exists in a mode of gift. The Holy Spirit is Person-Love and ‘Person-Gift’.” Although the Holy Spirit is described in various symbolic ways in the scriptures, such as Fire, Breath, Wind, and Dove, He is essentially the same Third Person of the Trinity, with His manifestations and activities varying.
Recounting The Great Event and Fulfilment Of Jesus’ Promise
The first reading from the Acts of the Apostles recounts the great event and miraculous transformation that took place during the first Pentecost, fulfilling God’s promise to send the Paraclete to His Apostles. Empowered by the Holy Spirit, they fearlessly preached and evangelized. Through Baptism, we also receive the Holy Spirit, and in Confirmation, we receive His fullness. Thus, like the Apostles, we are empowered to be missionaries, proclaiming the truth of God’s Word through our words and actions, anytime, anywhere. Rather than remaining neutral or shrinking away in fear, we must fearlessly confront the evils in our society and prevent evil from thriving. The early martyrs faced brutal persecution with the empowerment of the Holy Spirit, and He is still with us today, never abandoning us or His Church. Therefore, we must condemn and uproot any unjust structures in society and denounce unjust practices or laws. Evil can never triumph over good. We are soldiers of Christ, and we should not be afraid.
The Gift and Fruits Are From The Same Spirit For The Good Of All
In the second reading from Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (12ff), Paul explains that there are different spiritual gifts, fruits, and charisms, but they all come from the same Spirit, given to each one of us for the same purpose of building up the body of Christ—the Church. Our gifts should unite us in this common mission and goal, rather than being a source of conflict or division. Whoever uses their gifts for personal gain not only causes division in the Church but works against the Holy Spirit.
The Holy Spirit is Our Power To Forgive and Reconcile
The Gospel passage relates how the Risen Jesus gave His Apostles a foretaste of Pentecost on the evening of Easter Sunday by appearing to them and sending them to continue the mission given to Him by His Heavenly Father. He empowered them to do so by breathing upon them and saying, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” On the day of Pentecost, Jesus fulfilled His promise to send the Advocate or Paraclete. The Gospel also tells us how Jesus gave the Apostles the power and authority to forgive sins. The presence of the Holy Spirit is inseparably linked to the gift of forgiveness and is directly referenced in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. However, it holds a much wider meaning. Today, we are reminded that our Christian vocation entails showing love to others and offering them forgiveness, just as we have been loved and forgiven by Christ, especially in a world that is often fiercely judgmental and vengeful.
Why We Need The Holy Spirit
Why do we need the Holy Spirit in our lives? We need the Holy Spirit in our lives and in our world, which is becoming increasingly indifferent to the gifts of God. It is a world plagued by the evils of secularism, communism, individualism, consumerism, and materialism. In this world, people tend to place more trust in machines and men than in the Word of God. Therefore, we need the Spirit to reignite the fire and passion for the things of God.
In a world where temptations constantly lure us away from obedience to God’s Word, the Holy Spirit strengthens us in the battle against sin and empowers us to bear witness to Christ through sincere and honest Christian lives.
We need the Holy Spirit because He sanctifies and makes us holy through the sacraments. Therefore, it is crucial that we devoutly receive the sacraments in a state of grace. For a Christian who aspires to holiness, it is essential to submit oneself to the sanctifying power of the Spirit through the reception of the sacraments at every stage of life.
The world and social media bombard us with erroneous teachings, and even some Christian groups contribute to the confusion. Moreover, many governments have legalized actions that are contrary to moral principles, leaving both the young and old perplexed in distinguishing right from wrong, truth from falsehood, and morality from immorality. In this context, we need the Holy Spirit to assist us in discerning the will of God and illuminating our confused and darkened minds with the Truth. By daily listening to the Word of God and meditating on it, by submitting ourselves to the infallible teachings of the magisterium, and by obeying and believing in our doctrines and dogmas, we can hear the voice of the Holy Spirit resounding in our hearts. The Spirit also inspires us to do good by speaking to us in the depths of our hearts and guiding us toward worthy actions. Those who listen to this inner voice and wait for His guidance do not regret their actions or fail in their missions. When human sentiments, emotions, and affections cloud our minds, the Holy Spirit brings clarity and sharpens our vision
Therefore, commit everything to God in prayer, for the Holy Spirit listens to us and helps us pray in a more acceptable way (cf. Rom 8:26). When we open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, we receive His gifts to function more effectively in our various callings and ministries in life. We need the courage of the Spirit to fearlessly proclaim the Gospel, even if our lives are endangered. We need Him now more than ever, and we must allow Him to influence and take control of our lives.
A Call To Reflection
The feast of Pentecost provides us with an opportunity to reflect on the role that forgiveness should play in our interactions with others. It challenges us to examine our sense of compassion, patience, tolerance, and magnanimity. Learning to forgive is a lifelong task, but the Holy Spirit is with us to make us agents of forgiveness. If we are open to receiving the Holy Spirit into our lives on this day of Pentecost, we can have confidence that our lives will be marked by the Spirit of forgiveness.
The Holy Spirit dwells within you. You are His temple. However, obstinacy in sin can drive Him away. Let us make our lives holy dwellings for Him by reconciling with God in every situation of sinfulness. Let us listen to the voice of the Spirit and allow Him to direct and influence our lives. May you be filled with His gifts and remain blessed
I keep you and your family always in my prayers. ©Clem C. Aladi (2024)
