Reflection for Pentecost Year A
(Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:3-7, 12-13;
Jn 20:19-23)
“When Pentecost day had come, they
were all together in one place. And suddenly a sound came from heaven like the
rush of a mighty wind...And there appeared to them tongues as of fire,
distributed and resting on each one of them.”
Today we meditate on the beauty of
the coming of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. The immediate symbol of His
coming was a loud sound that filled the house like a rush of wind. It was a
sound that shattered the silent cold hand of fear that gripped them. They
regained their courage and freedom. Before now they lost their voices through
fear of the Jews, now they spoke in different tongues.
The first and immediate
manifestation of the gift of the Holy Spirit was the proclamation of the Good News
of Jesus Christ. They proclaimed the one message but to different tongues. Now
the different people can find their unity in the one Gospel message. The sound
of the truth of the gospel is the voice of the Holy Spirit. It is loud and
clear, moving us from within to order and unity. Uniformity is false; unity is
true. The truth of Christ is instilled in our lives as power and wisdom by the
Holy Spirit (cf Jn 14:16-17).
Because what the Holy Spirit teaches
is true, it leads to deeper freedom and greater self-discovery. Whatever is not
true, in words or action, cannot be of the Holy Spirit, and they diminish us. That
is why the Holy Spirit leads us to discover our talents, and empowers us to
exercise them to achieve personal authenticity and to enrich the variety of our
common humanity. Hence St Paul says in the second reading that the one Spirit
inspires variety of service to the one God. The Holy Spirit grows variety to
unity, destroying the cold hand of competition among individuals, cultures,
etc.
Jesus appeared to His disciples,
showed His hands and feet, bestowed His gift of peace, and He sent them forth
to proclaim the gospel. Then He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy
Spirit...” So the Spirit issues from the Father and the Son. Therefore, anytime
we listen to Jesus, meditate on His words, etc, we open our heart to filled by
the Holy Spirit.
Veni Sante Spiritus! Come Holy
Spirit, we need to hear the great sound of your truth. We need to feel the warmth
of your outpouring. Ignite your tongues of fire upon us anew! The cold hand of
division is trying to silence our voice to witness to Jesus. See how many
families are shattered. The beauty of our individual differences is being
covered by competition. Adulterated belief is trying to sweep through the
Church. Come Holy Spirit, Come! Your fire cannot be quenched; your sound cannot
be silenced! Let this sound of your truth fill every heart and every home that
invoke you today. Your warmth is life to our souls.
Veni Creator Spiritus, mentes tuorum visita (Come
creator Spirit, and in our souls take up your rest). Amen.
Fr Jude Nwachukwu, C.Ss.R
Saints Peter & Paul Catholic
Church,
Tedi-Muwo, Lagos.
Sunday May 31st, 2020.
Pentecost Day.
