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This Sunday the Church celebrates the great feast of Pentecost, the crowning finale of our celebration of Easter 50 days ago. For seven weeks, the Church has gathered together each day throughout the world to praise and worship God for the glory of the resurrection. Jesus Christ is risen from the dead! He is alive! We might say that for seven weeks the Church has not ceased to cry out "Alleluia!" for such a marvelous gift. And like all of God's gifts, the resurrection overflows with more gifts-and chief among them is the pouring out of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. At Pentecost, God sent the Holy Spirit to the apostles and the people so they could form the Church. The Spirit brought the Church into being and the Spirit sustains the Church even now. Even though the Church is stained by human sin and division, it remains the dwelling place of God.  A painting on the ceiling of St. Catherine Church in Spring Lake, N.J., depicts the Holy Spirit descending upon the apostles. (CNS photo/Octavio Duran) |
This does not mean that members of the Church do not need to worry about sin and evil; it means that the holiness of the Church, the truth of its teaching, the fruitfulness of its sacraments, come from God, not humans. We are called to surrender ourselves to God's gifts, to yield to the Holy Spirit, and become instruments of God's grace in the world. This is what happened at the first Pentecost, as the fruit of the early Church demonstrates. On that first Pentecost, the apostles and disciples were so receptive to the Holy Spirit that their witness to Jesus erupted throughout the known world. They manifested God's grace in their lives through the preaching of the Word, the practice of caritas (with special concern for those who were poor), their communal life, and, not least of all, through an amazing growth of the Church. The success and vibrancy of the early Church may give us pause to wonder why we don't see such signs nowadays. Perhaps part of the reason is due to such things as complacency and sluggishness of spirit, or an outright rejection of one's baptismal call. But part of the reason also may be that the Holy Spirit provides the most appropriate gifts the Church needs for a particular time and historical context. The more sensational gifts were needed for the beginning of the Church so it might be recognized and attract followers. Today, spectacular gifts do not have the same appeal. Indeed, it could be argued that what we need, and what inspires people - believers and non-believers alike - is the fidelity and perseverance of witnesses to Jesus. As our Advocate, the Holy Spirit gives us the seven gifts (wisdom, understanding, fortitude, etc.) that, when we receive them well, undergird our Christian witness and help us to love our neighbors. One may or may not agree with the gospel, but it's hard to ignore, for example, the actions of Catholic Charities staff who change lives for the better: helping people find homes, employment, health care, and more. This is faith in action, grounded in prayer, imbued with the Spirit, and directed toward the fullness of life that Jesus promises. |
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