HOMILY OF THE PENTECOST SUNDAY YEAR C

THE HOLY SPIRIT EMPOWERS US TO DO GOOD

1st Reading: Acts 2:1-11; 2nd Reading: Romans 8:8-17; Gospel: John 14:15-16, 23-26

Today, the Holy Mother Church celebrates Pentecost Sunday in a very special way—the descent of the Holy Spirit on the Apostles and the Blessed Virgin Mary! It is a celebration in honour of the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Most Blessed Trinity, one in being with the Father and the Son and equal to them in every respect.

On the day of His ascension into Heaven, Jesus Christ promised to send His disciples the Comforter, “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you… But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, He will teach you all things and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you” (John 14:18, 26). This promise has been fulfilled today.

Today is a memorial day that the Church was born in order to continue the salvific mission of Christ and to courageously bear witness to the risen Lord, Jesus Christ. Moreover, the actual birth of the Church was on Calvary, while Jesus Christ hung on the Cross, in fulfillment of His prophecy: “When I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all people to myself” (John 12:32). But Pentecost Sunday marks the day that the Church was first introduced to the world—that is, the first public outing of the Church.

In the first reading, the disciples were inundated by the Power of the Holy Spirit, which engendered mutual love, forgiveness, peace, generosity, and unity in diversity among many people of diverse cultures present, without any discrimination or confusion that was witnessed at the Tower of Babel in Genesis 11.

Today, there is a major renewal of interest in the Holy Spirit and spiritual charisms. Many gifts of the Holy Spirit are restricted to spectacular, extraordinary, and momentary phenomena, which often become a cause of rivalry, conflict, and division.

Undoubtedly, the presence and action of the Holy Spirit in us may not manifest unless we are, first of all, aware of that presence and that action. Secondly, we make ourselves available for their manifestation in us. For wherever the Holy Spirit is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17). So, how do we recognize His presence and be sure that we are truly led by Him?

Certainly, the litmus tests are: only when we love (sacrifice) sincerely, forgive no matter the offense, instigate unity in our community, show compassion, detach ourselves from earthly possessions, as well as exhibit other fruits of the Holy Spirit, Otherwise, we should pray and invite Him to possess us.

The second reading describes a consequence of the presence of the Spirit. Each of us has been given gifts by the same Spirit, and they must not be a source of competition but rather be put to the service of unity. The Holy Spirit is a new law, the force that leads us to do good, which pulls down barriers, and wherever it enters, it destroys sin. He will never tell us that everything in our journey through life will be smooth and without a hitch at all. No, that is the deceptive voice of the evil spirit. Life is not a bed of roses but is imbued with a plethora of challenges.

As the scripture says, “For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of sonship. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” it is the Spirit Himself bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may also be glorified with Him” (Romans 8:15–17).

However, the Holy Spirit helps us navigate through the vicissitudes of life unscathed. As a matter of fact, He corrects and guides us along the way and never leaves us lying on the ground, even when we sin or offend God. Rather, He takes us by the hand, comforts us, and constantly encourages us (Proverbs 24:16). He makes us weep for our sins and pushes us to frequent confessions, genuine repentance, and a change of heart—that is, to fight against our lies, deceptions, hatred, rivalry, disunity, wickedness, etc.—even when that calls for hard work, interior struggle, and sacrifice.

Furthermore, the Holy Spirit pushes us to love and to always do what is pleasing in the sight of God, in accordance with the scriptures. Certainly, charisms that build up faith and unity in the Christian community and lead to greater understanding, forgiveness, and service are true signs of the presence of the Holy Spirit.

Finally, the Holy Spirit is sent for a purpose: to remind the disciples of the teachings of Jesus Christ and to instruct them further; to invest the apostles with the authority to forgive sins (John 20:22–23); to build up the faith and unity of the Christian community through various gifts of the Spirit; to rejuvenate the Church and teach her to be an open house of unity without walls of division. Hence, as Christians, who are now the present disciples of Christ and the embodiments or temples of the Holy Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:19), we are now charged with the responsibility of propagating the Power of God beyond the frontiers of the earth through love, peace, kindness, unity, forgiveness, generosity, etc.

PRAYER:

As the heavenly dew (wisdom, knowledge, understanding, fortitude, counsel, piety, and holy fear) falls on the disciples today, may the Power of the Most High God penetrate your inmost heart and reinvigorate, strengthen, and fortify you and your entire family so as to produce more fruits of the Holy Spirit (love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, generosity, self-control, modesty, andchastity), in the name of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.

Peace of Christ be with you…

Rev. Fr. Benjamin Okala, C.S.Sp.

HAPPY FEAST OF PENTECOST!!!

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