Pentecost

Readings of the Day 

I am a cradle Catholic, and I just discovered the Pentecost Extended Vigil as I was preparing to write this reflection.  These readings are beautiful, and they echo how the eight readings of the Easter Vigil take us through the history of God's relationship to humanity and his promise of salvation, so we can truly appreciate the importance and significance of the Resurrection. The five readings of the Pentecost Vigil take us through the history of humanity's relationship to each other... division sown among nations after the Tower of Babel, and our need for God's Spirit to give society new life, so that we can truly appreciate the importance of the City of God that we are building, modeling a better society inspired by the Holy Spirit.  Easter is about salvation.  Pentecost is about the Church.  We are called to be a testament; to follow the Spirit together, despite the divisions the world inspires.

Wow. That message feels incredibly necessary this week. This week we have seen a death in Minnesota (the most recent in a long line nationwide).  We have seen protests, riots, and tear gas.  We have seen people denying the humanity of others based on the color of their skin, their political affiliation, or their pain and trauma.  And we have seen the Tower of Babel collapse around us.  

We don't get through this on our own. Yes, as Catholics, Christians, and people of good will, we believe in the inherent dignity of every human person. And that means participating in public dialogue, supporting people of color, attending protests, loving all our brothers and sisters (even those we disagree with), practicing the corporal and spiritual works of mercy, and augmenting the voices in our community that are often overlooked.  However, we need the Spirit of God to bring us together.  The Spirit does not lead us on an easy journey.  The people of Israel were terrified when they saw the column of fire in which God was leading them. Ezekiel's vision of the bones coming back to life is disconcerting, and as Paul says, “all of creation is groaning in labor pains even now.”  But if we truly believe in Jesus and follow him, we will have springs of living water to share.  We will live the words of Pope Paul VI when he reminds us “If you want peace, work for justice.”  The Spirit calls each of us, but we live that call together as a community.  The Church today must embody the Spirit and use the prophetic voice to challenge society and create the City of God.

Sheila Herlihy is Coordinator of Justice and Charity at the Church of the Incarnation in Charlottesville, Virginia, where she attended the anti-alt right protests in 2017 along with the local Clergy Collective.  

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