BIBLE STUDY #46
PENTECOST SUNDAY
June 12, 2011


Reading 1 Acts 2:1-11

When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled,
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.

Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem.
At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd,
but they were confused
because each one heard them speaking in his own language.
They were astounded, and in amazement they asked,
“Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans?
Then how does each of us hear them in his native language?
We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites,
inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia,
Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia,
Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene,
as well as travelers from Rome,
both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs,
yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues
of the mighty acts of God.”

The Word of the Lord


Reading II 1Cor 12:3b-7, 12-13

Brothers and sisters:
No one can say, “Jesus is Lord,” except by the Holy Spirit.
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.
To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit
is given for some benefit.
As a body is one though it has many parts,
and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body,
so also Christ.
For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body,
whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons,
and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.

The Word of the Lord

Gospel John 20:19-23

On the evening of that first day of the week,
when the doors were locked, where the disciples were,
for fear of the Jews,
Jesus came and stood in their midst
and said to them, “Peace be with you.”
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side.
The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you.
As the Father has sent me, so I send you.”
And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them,
“Receive the Holy Spirit.
Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

The Gospel of the Lord

Reflection

This Sunday is the Feast of Pentecost, which marks the end of the Easter season. Ordinary time begins on Monday, June 13th. The liturgical color switches from white to green and we will be in the 11th week in ordinary time. For weekday masses, we are in cycle 1. Ordinary time continues until the evening of November 26, 2011, the evening before the First Sunday of Advent.


The color for Pentecost, however, is red. We will have red on the altar, as part of our decorations, and I will be wearing red vestments. As a sign of our acceptance of the gift of the Holy Spirit and as a rededication to ministry, I ask everyone to wear red on Sunday. Please spread the word so everyone knows.


There is a different set of readings for the vigil mass of Pentecost, but I have chosen to reflect on the readings for the mass of Pentecost during the day.


In John’s Gospel, there is no 40 days to the Ascension, there is no 10 days from the Ascension to Pentecost; in fact, there is no Ascension or Pentecost as we celebrate it today. Our Gospel passage today begins, “On the evening of that first day of the week” referring to the day Jesus rose from the dead, or Easter Sunday. The disciples (only 10 because Judas hung himself and Thomas was absent) were behind locked doors because they were afraid that what happened to Jesus would happen to them.

As they were hiding in the upper room (same room as the Last Supper?), Jesus appears to them. Imagine how scary that must have been. No wonder they didn’t say anything! Probably afraid that he would ask them where they were last Friday. They see the risen Jesus with a resurrected body that is not bound by space and time, but still is flesh and blood. They are fearful, but when Jesus shows him his hands and his side, they recognize him and are overjoyed.

But instead of admonishing them, he says, “Peace be with you,” both before and after they recognize him. This peace is a divine gift promised by God when the Messiah arrives; this peace is an awareness of the presence of Jesus who has overcome sin and death. It is also an experience of the risen Lord who forgives our sins and offers us eternal life that brings us peace, or joy, which is a similar term.

After offering them peace, he sends them out on a mission. “As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” Our mission as a church and as individual members of the church is to continue the mission and ministry of Jesus. We are commissioned for this task because of the conferral of the Holy Spirit when Jesus breathed on them. In Genesis 2:7 God created man by breathing life into him: “the LORD God formed man out of the clay of the ground and blew into his nostrils the breath of life, and so man became a living being.” Just as the breath of the Father gave life to humans, the breath of the Son gives us the Spirit of redemption and forgiveness.

I think it is interesting that God does not create man out of nothing, but out of earthly matter, which gives great dignity to material things. I can’t recall Jesus ever saying that material things are bad, but he does say that people can be good or bad. In fact, our whole sacramental system is based on God’s presence being mediated to us through material things such as bread, wine, water, and oil. It is when material things come to so dominate our lives that our spiritual life gets ignored that we have a problem.

The disciples become apostles after they are sent, which is the meaning of the name apostle, one that is sent. It is a general sending (“As the Father has sent me, so I send you”) except for one specific task, “Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them,
and whose sins you retain are retained.”

I find it fascinating that of all the specific things that Jesus could have said as part of the apostles commissioning, he only specifies forgiveness, the one sacrament that, of all the others, has fallen into great non-use.

Look at it this way: if we don’t need forgiveness, we don’t need Jesus or the Church. What is the one thing that keeps us from eternal life? Unforgiven sin. Our whole system of faith revolves around forgiveness, and it collapses without it. It is so important that it is mentioned over 100 times in the Old Testament and over 100 times in the New Testament.

We can’t atone for our sins, but Jesus has done that for us. He has paid the price and he offers it to us freely, without any charge. It is there for the asking. If God feels distant, seek forgiveness. If you want to grow spiritually, seek forgiveness. If you feel like you are regressing spiritually, seek forgiveness.

Do you know the phrase, “get it off your chest?” I’m sure you do. When something is burdening us, weighing us down, we feel much better when we can tell someone. Forgiveness is like that. It weighs us down and puts a great burden on us. Confessing our sins can be like getting a great weight off our shoulders. I have felt it many times, as I’m sure many of you have, too.

Sin and evil have a way of worming themselves into our lives until they become a habit that’s very difficult to break. The good news is that Jesus has broken the hold of sin and evil. They don’t have to dominate our lives anymore. We will give in to sin and temptation, but there is an out: forgiveness.

Some people think talking about sin and forgiveness is a negative thing, but I don’t. I think it is a great gift from God that we undervalue and under appreciate. In fact, it is one of the greatest gifts we have from God. It is only when I feel God’s forgiveness that I can feel his peace.

In the first reading from Acts of the Apostles, there is a very dramatic coming of the Spirit. “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.” The wind reminds us of Jesus’ breath on the Apostles and the breath of life from God in Genesis. This wind is the Holy Spirit, enabling the Apostles for ministry. Notice that they went from scared people hiding in an upper room to fearless proclaimers of God’s saving actions in Jesus because of this gift of the Spirit. The fire reminds us of being on fire with God’s love and having a desire to share that love, which the Apostles certainly did.

Notice that everyone heard the proclamation by the Apostles about Jesus in their own tongue. This was a gift of the Spirit allowing them to minister to the people at hand. We should never think that we are unqualified to share our faith. God will equip us with what we need. Sometimes talent can get in the way because we rely more on perspiration than on inspiration. Reliance on self in ministry can block the movement of the Spirit.

After everyone heard the proclamation concerning Jesus by the Apostles, their question in Acts 2:37 is “What are we to do, my brothers?” Peter’s response in Acts 2:38 is “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit”(italics added). What is the first public statement of Jesus as he begins his public ministry in Mark’s Gospel? “This is the time of fulfillment. The kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the Gospel (Mk1:15).” Since the word repent comes before believe, I take that to me that we can’t believe in the gospel unless we repent. Do you see the importance of forgiveness?

After we are forgiven and receive the gift of the Spirit, what does that mean to us? Not every one can do everything, nor should they desire to. We all receive the same Spirit, but this Spirit brings out different gifts in each of us. We continue Jesus mission and ministry when we bring our gifts and talents to the altar and let Jesus transform them and us into Church. Sometimes we try a ministry, and we might not like it, or we might not feel we have a talent for it. Every year a small percentage of men leave the seminary, either because they were dropped by the seminary or the diocese, or because it isn’t for them. When we are really Church, every one is welcome to pray and participate as much (or as little) as they want. The Church is not only the hierarchy, but also all the things that all the people in all the parishes, schools, catholic agencies and families do for the love of God. It is all of us together that make up the Body of Christ.

One thing I’d like to emphasize: having a bigger role doesn’t make one a better or a holier person. Holiness is accomplished by God’s grace, not our actions. Holiness, like salvation, is a free gift of God, given to whom He desires.

Being Church means that all people are accepted, no restrictions or limitations. All are called to feast at God’s table of grace. We can’t tell sinners to stay out because then our churches would be empty of people and clergy (talk about a priest shortage!) I hope, though, that while every one is welcomed, every one is also transformed into holiness.

Let us all work together to build up the Body of Christ in Lincoln Park.


Fr. Phil