Feast of Pentecost

Sunday June 4, 2006

Life—an Ongoing Pentecost

Planning a trip can be an interesting experience. Obviously preparation demands attention to details but the imagination also plays a significant role. We need to ‘dream a little’ about our destination in order to generate the energy required for packing and the enthusiasm necessary to make the journey joyful despite the inevitable inconveniences along the way. If you have ever vacationed with the typical “ugly traveler,” you know what I’m talking about — the perfectionist who travels around the world expecting everyone to speak English, to find a ‘Big Mac’ on every corner and ‘aqua potabile’ (drinkable water) at every fountain. These people view life through a very limited perspective — their own.

Rarely does our destination fulfill our fondest expectations. Despite photos, videos and the descriptions of those who may have been there before us, the images we form about our destination rarely accord with reality. No matter—well-adjusted people adapt, discover unexpected pleasures and make do with the inconveniences and disappointments. They even use their creative ‘juices’ to make lemonade when handed a lemon.

Though it may be an over-used metaphor, “journey” is still a useful simile for our voyage through life.

All huddled together in the upper room in fear following the death of Christ, the disciples of Jesus were devastated. Their expectations for his destiny and theirs had not been fulfilled. Instead, they seemed to have ended up on a dead-end street—disappointed and disillusioned.

Nevertheless, it was in the midst of the darkest night of their despair that the Spirit came to them.

This dramatic account of the Pentecost event must be viewed through the lens of the biblical account of creation. The great wind described by Luke is reminiscent of the ‘ruah’ of God breathing life into the chaos of nothingness and then into the dust of the earth from which emerged man and woman in the image of God.

The image of tongues of fire is reminiscent of the giving of the Torah — the ancient law — to Moses on Sinai. The disciples were the recipients of a new law within the context of a new covenant at Pentecost on the mountain, as it were, of the ‘Upper Room.’

The variety of nations and languages and the ability of each to understand the message “in their own native tongue” brings to mind the story of Babel. But this was the great reversal of Babel.

Whenever humanity boasts of its wisdom, the result is confusion. When God descends to impart life, the result is wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety, and fear of [awe for] the Lord. Sound familiar?

These are the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit that we memorized as children. The fruits of the Spirit: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, humility, self-control and a chastity, are the qualities of discipleship, proofs, if you will, that the gifts of the Spirit are working. Incidentally, I think it is still helpful for our children to memorize this list of gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit. They make a wonderful mantra for prayer and an excellent road map for our spiritual journey.

Saint Paul’s theology of the Holy Spirit is summed up in his first letter to the Corinthians, “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” Though manifested differently in each person, the Spirit unites all of us for service to humanity: “To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the benefit of all.” In his letter to the Galatians, Paul insists that in fact, he lives no longer alone but Christ lives in him through the power of the Spirit. This is our destiny on earth.

It is interesting that John’s description of the descent of the Holy Spirit takes place on Easter Sunday evening reinforcing the notion commonly accepted today that Easter, Ascension and Pentecost are really one event. The accounts of each have been separated in order for us to ‘ponder the significance of the mystery of Christ’s life, death and resurrection and its impact on us as his faithful followers. Notice that the initial greeting of Christ is “peace”—that all will be well.

Our journey through life cannot be blueprinted and rarely does it unfold as planned. Filled with disappointments, disillusionment and moments of despair, the Spirit imparted to us in Baptism, reinforced at Confirmation continues to come to us at unexpected times, — very often in the midst of chaos.

We need to stay alert. Prayer is important because it enables us to recognize the voice of the Spirit. The Sunday gathering at this table is essential because the interface between our human stories and the God stories creates a synergism that generates insight and wisdom.

The sharing of the Eucharist of course is our food for the journey. It quenches our thirst, satisfies our hunger, and empowers us to goodness—transforming ordinary moments into extraordinary opportunities of grace for others. In fact, we become the bread that we eat. That was the teaching of the ancient fathers and mothers of the Church; it remains the core teaching of the Church today.

To be true disciples of Christ, we must be ready to travel but without a suitcase, no sleeping bag, no traveling staff—only sandals for our feet. As Disciples of Christ ‘on the move,’ we must be risk-takers and enthusiasts for life. In fact, the word “enthusiasm” is from the two Greek words, ‘en Theos’ i.e., ‘in God,’ to be in God, to live in God.

Thomas Merton was correct; life is a “seven story mountain.” Near the end of his life journey, though he didn’t have a clue that his days were numbered, he journeyed to Gal Vihara, a Buddhist shrine in Sri Lanka. He was in awe at what he found and wrote about it in his Asian Journal, published posthumously. “I don’t know what else remains, but I have now seen and have pierced through the surface and have got beyond the shadow and the disguise.” [As quoted in ‘Merton’s Enlightenment’ by Paul Wilkes, COMMONWEAL Magazine, June 2, 2006]

No, I don’t think he was about to become a Buddhist. It was that through that unique encounter with the divine, East and West met and Babel was once again reversed in the silence of God’s multifaceted and never-ending embrace.

Life can and should be an ongoing Pentecost. It’s worth every step and every mile.

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