Pentecost Sunday!

In Canada, Church uses as second reading: Letter to the Romans and for The Gospel the 14 chapter of John's Gospel. In the States: the second reading is from I Corinthians. The Gospel is the 20 chapter of John's Gospel.

1. There used to be a TV ad showing an elderly lady with a hamburger in her hand. She had a puzzled look on her face as she asked the question, "Where's the beef?" Today as we celebrate Pentecost, as we celebrate the birthday of our Church , we can ask ourselves "Where is the fire?"

On the birthday of the Church. Today we take a look at our church in a pluralistic Society.  Our children tell us that since all faiths lead us to God, why should we be so arrogant to say that ours in the best, even if we know it to be so.

• Catholics shop around churches, just like they do at Walmarts, the Bay, Sears, Factory Outlets. They complain the Homilies are boring, there is too much emphasis on Money, there is an equal lack of reverence
• People want the Church to entertain. As in the musical "Chicago", people want a bit of razzle-dazzle. People want a song and movement like the Evangelists in their Glass Cathedrals.
• And so as we celebrate our Church, we wonder what is our church? Is it the Church founded on the Apostles. The Elderly lady looked at the hamburger and said where is the beef?   Do we look at our Church at Pentecost and say, "Where is the fire?"

2.  Where's the fire?  Perhaps our faith is like a young couple with their new born baby. Is the baby any different from any other? No ! It has two hands, two feet and it looks cute. But say that it is an ordinary baby and you might get a black eye from the proud papa.

The baby is unique, it is special. God threw away the mould after God made that baby. There is none like that baby in the whole world. And the couple would not trade that Baby for all the tea in China and all the gold in FortKnox.  People who hear the couple speak, smile indulgently at them. They are pleased and not upset that the couple speaks so glowingly of their child. They do not think the couple arrogant. The couple is simply in love, on fire. And that is the way we speak about being a Christian today, about our church today.

3.  Pentecost was originally a feast at the time of Harvest, when they gathered in the grains and gave Thanks to God.  The Jewish people adopted/adapted it to recall their own salvation story

• when God gave them the Law on Sinai
• when God chose them as a chosen people. In the Acts of the Apostles,  (Ch 20) Paul is at the end of the third Missionary Journey. He is  anxious to return to Jerusalem for Pentecost. It was this Jewish feast that he wanted to celebrate, not the story of Pentecost we celebrate today as Christians.

We think of Pentecost as the one and only pouring out of the Spirit on the apostles. However the Acts of the Apostles give us at least four different times when there was an outpouring of the Holy Spirit.

• Ch: 2 - the Story of Pentecost -   on the Apostles
• Ch 4:31. When Peter & John are released from jail: - on the Community
• Ch 10:44 Story of the Roman Captain Cornelius: - on Cornelius and Family
• Ch 19:6 at Ephesus on the twelve of the believers.

In each of these cases, there was one or all the signs that were present at the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. There was a sudden rush of wind, the House was shaken, there were tongues of fire, and the people spoke in tongues. But the underlying effect was the same as it was at the beginning of creation. At that time, the Spirit moved over and created the face of the Earth. Now the Holy Spirit recreates the Hearts of People setting them afire with the Love of God.

4.  When the Apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit, they proclaimed Jesus fearlessly before the Jews, the Gentles and Kings. The result was a "salvation story".

• People repented.
• People were forgiven.
• People were baptised.
• People received the Holy Spirit.
   

But it did not necessarily take place in that order. In the Story of  the Roman captain Cornelius, they received the Holy Spirit and only then they were baptised.

5.  The writer of the letter to the Romans and our Gospel highlight that once we are filled with the Holy spirit, we can no longer be slaves to sin, or continue to be guided and enslaved by the needs of our body. We have the freedom of the Children of God and we are called to soar like an Eagle.

For the writer of the Fourth Gospel, the Holy Spirit was given on

Easter Sunday itself. All the farewell readings we have been hearing during the last fifty days are given at the Last Supper. They were in preparation for that tremendous outpouring of the Holy Spirit at Easter. So Jesus speaks of love and understanding and courage and unity.

• Love     this is my new Commandment.
• Courage  be not afraid, I will not leave you orphans
• Unity   Father may they be one, as you are in me
• Reverence   I pray on their behalf and all those who believe because of their word.

6.  The story is told that a group of elders wanted to hide the Wisdom, the Path to God. Some suggested at the bottom of the Sea. Ah, put people will be curious and will find it there. Some suggested at the top of the Mountain. Ah but people will be enterprising and find it there. Some suggested at the centre of the earth. Ah but people will use their genius and find it there. Finally there was a suggestion from a very elderly person, "Why do you not put it in the heart of a person, no one looks there. And so when we search for the Fire ! It is right in our midst, in our hearts. It will be found when there is:

• mutual respect and understanding in Christ
• in spite of varying backgrounds and different languages, we speak the universal language of kindness and caring.
• an effort for unity, rather than using force to create uniformity.
• an acceptance of people regardless of cultural background, ethnic traditions, sexual orientation.

When Fire and Wind come down on the People of God, it comes down on all or it does not come at all. Our challenge is to be open, to break loose of things that enslave and bind us. Blessed, Pope John XXIII did that at the Vatican - and too many of us have been trying to shut that window, that door down.... we are telling people to seek the fire at the top of the Mountain, at the bottom of the Sea, at the centre of the earth...when all the time the Fire in is our very heart ! Let the FIRE come down on us all.