For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
15 May 2016 – Pentecost Year C – Mass of the Day
16 May 2016 – Monday of Week 7 Year 2
17 May 2016 – Tuesday of Week 7 Year 2
18 May 2016 – Wednesday of Week 7 Year 2
19 May 2016 – Thursday of Week 7 Year 2
20 May 2016 – Friday of Week 7 Year 2
Today we celebrate Pentecost, where Jesus finally sends us the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, the one who will teach us everything and remind us of all that Jesus has said. But what does the coming of the Holy Spirit mean to us? What is its significance in our lives?
The coming of the Holy Spirit enables us to overcome our fears. It does not mean we would no longer have any fear, but fear can no longer control us, since the Holy Spirit is in control and will guide us. In the first reading, the apostles were at first fearful, and they hid behind closed doors. When they were filled by the Spirit, they came out from that room to proclaim the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Also the coming of the Holy Spirit breaks down barriers between us and creates unity among people from diverse backgrounds. The church does not belong to any particular group, since the church is the Church of Christ and all people, regardless of race, color or language are part of it. As St. Paul reminds us in the second reading, we are “children of God”, “heirs of God and coheirs with Christ.” If we live according to the Holy Spirit, then we must not allow prejudice to affect the way we live our Christian lives. This means that since the church is made up of peoples from diverse backgrounds, we must be able to look after the interest of everyone and not only look towards our own interest.
Moreover, the alternative Gospel reminds us that the coming of the Holy Spirit is to “teach you everything and remind you of all I (Jesus) have said to you.” This is because we forget so easily and need to be constantly reminded of our identity as children of God, as brothers and sisters in Christ. We need to be reminded that our life in the Spirit is a life that must be founded on love, and that there is no room for hatred, prejudice, unforgiveness, or selfishness.
Thus, let us give thanks to God for the gift of the Holy Spirit, and allow Him to take control of our lives. Let us always be ready to listen to His promptings and learn to live as brothers and sisters in Christ, children of God. May we let the Holy Spirit transform us, so that we may be united as one and go forth to proclaim the Good News to all the earth.
For your easy reference, the following is a list of weeks and years with their corresponding date:
24 May 2015 – Pentecost – Mass of the Day
25 May 2015 – Monday of Week 8 Year 1
26 May 2015 – Tuesday of Week 8 Year 1
27 May 2015 – Wednesday of Week 8 Year 1
28 May 2015 – Thursday of Week 8 Year 1
29 May 2015 – Friday of Week 8 Year 1
What does it mean to be a Christian? Are we truly united as brothers and sisters in Christ, regardless of our ethnic group, language group, or even social status or background? Sometimes, we come across parishes which are quite divided and segregated along racial and social lines. Each group is more interested only in the affairs, needs and wants of their respective friends and acquaintances within their group. We see people within their group avoiding or minimising contact with people of other groups, due to fear, prejudice, pride, inability to communicate, or for some other reason. Sometimes, when there is a dispute among persons between different groups, we see people taking sides, defending their own group, and finding ways to discredit the other side. It seems as if there is a siege mentality, where the other side is seen as a constant threat that needs to be checked. But is this what being a Christian really all about? Is Christianity exclusive only to certain people?
In today’s First Reading, we are told that the Holy Spirit came and rested on the heads of the disciples, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech” and also that “there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language about the marvels of God.” Notice that the Holy Spirit did not take sides or focus only with a particular group, but instead broke barriers in language so that all could hear and understand the disciples in their own language.
Likewise, today’s alternative Second Reading remind us: “If you are guided by the Spirit you will be in no danger of yielding to self-indulgence, since self-indulgence is the opposite of the Spirit, the Spirit is totally against such a thing, and it is precisely because the two are so opposed that you do not always carry out your good intentions. When self-indulgence is at work the results are obvious: fornication, gross indecency and sexual irresponsibility; idolatry and sorcery; feuds and wrangling, jealousy, bad temper and quarrels; disagreements, factions, envy; drunkenness, orgies and similar things. I warn you now, as I warned you before: those who behave like this will not inherit the kingdom of God. What the Spirit brings is very different: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, trustfulness, gentleness and self-control. You cannot belong to Christ Jesus unless you crucify all self-indulgent passions and desires. Since the Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Spirit.” If we are sticking to our guns and sticking only to our respective groups, then how can we belong to Christ Jesus, since we are actually being self-indulgent with only our group?
This is why we cannot be Christians and at the same time be attached or fixated to only a particular group. The Holy Spirit is gifted to all of us, regardless of who we are and where we come from. The second reading tells us that: “There is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose.” Ultimately, we have to ask ourselves honestly and sincerely: are we Christians only in name, but self-serving in practice? Or are we truly making every effort to be united as one family of God? Are we willing to come out of our comfort zones and reach out to others, especially those who are not so familiar to us, with love and Christian charity? Let us mean what we say when we sing: “We are one in the Spirit, We are one in the Lord. And they’ll know we are Christians by our love.”
Have we been filled with the Holy Spirit? Are we willing and daring enough to go and preach the Good News? When the Holy Spirit came and rested on the heads of the disciples, “they were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak foreign languages as the Spirit gave them the gift of speech.” Today’s 1st reading also tells us that “there were devout men living in Jerusalem from every nation under heaven, and at this sound they all assembled, each one bewildered to hear these men speaking his own language about the marvels of God.” The Holy Spirit gave these disciples courage to go forth to proclaim the Good News fearlessly.
Today’s 2nd reading also reminds us that “there is a variety of gifts but always the same Spirit; there are all sorts of service to be done, but always to the same Lord; working in all sorts of different ways in different people, it is the same God who is working in all of them. The particular way in which the Spirit is given to each person is for a good purpose.” This means that all of us are filled with the Holy Spirit. We received the Holy Spirit at baptism, and further strengthened at confirmation. Strenghtened with the Holy Spirit, we should be going forth with gusto and joy to proclaim the Good News. The question is: why are some of us still procrastinating? Why are some of us cowering in fear or not willing to commit ourselves to proclaiming the Good News in whatever way of life we are in? Are we doubtful that God can help us? Are we expecting only others to proclaim the Good News? There is no such thing as a nominal Christian; for each of us have been called, chosen, and strengthened to go forth and proclaim the Good News. Are we shirking from our responsibility?
