Pentecost Sunday year A
Which Christian is filled by the HOLY SPIRIT?
Fr. Fred Wekesa, OSA
5/19/20264 min read
Pentecost Sunday year A
Which Christian is filled with Holy Spirit?
1st Reading: Acts 2:1-11
Psalm: Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-31, 34
2nd Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13
Gospel: John 20:19-23
Which Christian is filled with Holy spirit.
On this Pentecost Sunday year A, we reflect on ‘which Christian is filled with the Holy spirit’ among us. From the first reading, we see how the disciples were “filled with the Holy spirit” and what was happening there. On this Pentecost Sunday year, A, we ask, Why do we celebrate Pentecost day? Did the Holy spirit descent only on Pentecost day? Looking around us, Which Christian could be said to be filled with the Holy spirit in our world today?
To begin with, On Pentecost day, which means 50th day after Christ’s resurrection, one may wonder and ask, Does it really mean that the Holy spirit descended only on Pentecost day? Non, why? Because according to the scriptures, the Holy spirit existed before Pentecost day. For instance, in Genesis 1:2, the spirit hovered over the waters. In the new testament, there are persons who were filled with the Holy spirit like Elizabeth, Zachariah, John, the Baptist, the blessed virgin Mary and even Jesus Christ who was filled with the Holy spirit. To be more concrete, an event like the baptism of Jesus, the scripture affirms that the Holy spirit descended on him inform of a Dove. In fact, the gospel passage of this Pentecost Sunday, states clearly that during the first day of the week after Christ’s resurrection, he appeared to his disciples and breathed on the them saying: ‘receive the holy spirit’. Again, the first reading from the acts of the apostles and the Gospel passage of this Pentecost Sunday present to us totally different occasions or days that the Holy spirit descended on the disciples. Nevertheless, the two accounts about the coming down of the Holy spirit as seen in the first reading and the gospel passage are not contradictory but more of complementary for deeper understanding. In other words, this is to say that from the acts of the apostles, Saint Luke places the descending of the Holy spirit on Pentecost day because of two reasons. 1. The Holy spirit replaces the law given at Mt. Sinai in the first testament. Of course, Pentecost is the second of the three important annual feasts in the Jewish calendar. Moreover, during Pentecost according to Jewish understanding, two events were celebrated 1. A feast of thanksgiving for the harvest of crops which is eventually offered to God and 2. Commemorating the giving of the law to Moses on Mount Sinai. The second reason as to why saint Luke places the descending of the Holy spirit on Pentecost day would be the usage of images and symbols borrowed from first testament as seen at Mount Sinai. For example, in the first reading, we find images and symbols such as a powerful wind, tongues of fire and strong wind because they are borrowed from the first testament at Mt. Sinai in Exodus 19:18-19.
Today, what are the 3 events celebrated on Pentecost Sunday? 1. The official descending of the Holy spirit on the apostles. I say official descending of the holy spirit because we have seen above that the Holy spirit was witnessed even before Pentecost day. 2. It marks the Birthday of the church. Before receiving the Holy spirit, the apostles were assembled in the house hence forming an ecclesial community of believers, the church as the people of God. Lastly, liturgically speaking, Pentecost Sunday marks the end of Easter season.
Which Christian could be said to be filled with the Holy spirit in our churches today? A Christian who has the Holy spirit manifests 3 behaviors namely 1. Bears true witness 2. Puts in use the gifts and fruits of the Holy spirit and finally 3. Speaks one language. Let us begin with a Christian who:
1. Bears true witness. From the gospel text, on the first day of the week, the disciples had locked themselves in a room because of fear for the Jews. While still in the house, the resurrected Christ appeared to them, gave them a gift of peace, and left them with the Holy spirit. Afterwards, the Holy spirit made the disciples to have courage, fortitude, and wisdom to preach the good news to all nations. Today, under the influence of the Holy spirit, a Christian would walk many kilometers to attend Holy mass or a Christian who sacrifices for the sake of a family or a priest who works hard in the parish despite the challenges for the good of the people of God. I am convinced beyond doubt that it is the Holy spirit that gives such men and women the courage to bear witnesses in whatever they are doing.
2. A Christian puts in use the gifts and fruits of the Holy spirit. When one is baptized and confirmed, the holy spirit is received together with its fruits. Which gifts and fruits of the Holy spirit do you have? Do you put them in to good use today? Finally
3. A Christian filled with the Holy spirit speaks one language. What do I mean? On Pentecost day, the apostles were “all filled with the holy spirit” and that is why they spoke different languages but it was understood by the devout men and women at Jerusalem who came for the feast. This event can be contrasted with what happened at the tower of Babel, whereby, there was total confusion and chaos in communication but during Pentecost day, even though they spoke in foreign languages, there was understanding hence promoting Love, unity, communion, forgiveness and togetherness. We can say that when one is transformed or inspired or filled with the Holy spirit, he will speak ONE language that is understood by everybody and that is the language of love, the language of forgiveness, the language of reconciliation, the language of respect, the language of caring for one another and the language of togetherness as a church.
To conclude, on this Pentecost Sunday year A, we are invited to be guided by the Holy spirit we received in baptism and in confirmation to speak one language in our world today. AMEN.
HAVE A BLESSED PENTECOST SUNDAY!!!!