Pentecost the Descent the Holy Spirit, Jen Norton May 2021, Picturing Stories from Home.

Click here to read today’s Sunday Mass Readings for the Mass During the Day.

And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were. Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.    Acts of the Apostles 2:2-3.

Click on words highlighted in red for further information.

On this day, approximately 1991 years ago, the entire Christian church was crammed into a small upper room somewhere in Jerusalem, scared to death that the fate which had befallen their leader would happen to them if they were discovered. John’s gospel states quite clearly that the door of the upper room was locked for fear of the Jews – and states it twice! Despite the appearance of the crucified one alive in their midst, they were still terrified. Not only that, but the city of Jerusalem was packed with visitors from all over the Roman Empire, Jews celebrating their feast of Pentecost. Look at the word: it contains “pente”, the Greek word for five. Pentecost was celebrated 50 days after the first day of Passover. So it is a much older feast than the Christian Pentecost, but in the years following it became better known as a Christian feast, with the Jewish name Shevuot (“Weeks”) becoming their name for the day, (also occasionally known as the Feast of the First Fruits of the Harvest from the time of year). It was by tradition that 50 days after the flight from enslavement in Egypt, the Jews arrived at Mount Sinai and were given the Law – the 10 Commandments – by God, hence it is also known as the Feast of the Law. And so this one Judeo-Christian feast day carries a total of at least six titles! Finally, Shevuot/Pentecost was one of the three “pilgrimage feasts” in the era of the Jerusalem Temple, when those Jews who could, would go on pilgrimage to the Temple in Jerusalem, hence explaining why today’s reading talks of the city being packed with people from all over the Roman world. (The other two pilgrimage feasts were Passover and Sukkot, the feast of booths or tents). So one can understand the reluctance of Jesus’ followers to do nothing except lie low and hope and pray for the best!

And then it happened!

In my opinion, after the miracle of the Resurrection itself, this was the greatest miracle recorded in the Christian scripture. Suddenly these cowering mice became lions of the Word, rushing out into the Shevuot crowd to proclaim the truth of Christ – the Messiah – to anyone who would listen! Without Pentecost, there would have been no Church (hence this event celebrates its “birthday”). What, besides the Hand of God, could possibly explain this transformation? These people were once understandably terrified of being crucified because of their association with Jesus. Now they could not wait to tell the “Good News” – the gospel – to the world. And not only that, but to proclaim it in all of the tongues of the Roman Empire, as listed in today’s reading (thus cancelling the punishment of the Tower of Babel, built with overweening pride, cursed with its multiple languages). Truly a spectacular beginning, made possible by the Descent of God’s Spirit on each of Christ’s followers that day. And note that the event sounded “like a strong wind” to the cowardly remnant. In Hebrew, the words “wind. “spirit” and “breath” are all the the same word – ruach רוּחַ – and so it was God’s very breath “as of fire” come upon them. Jesus, in today’s gospel story, “breathed” on them and they received God’s Spirit. Nothing could now stop them from proclaiming the Good News! 

Now, do we enjoy that same Spirit? Yes, received at baptism and then, fully, at confirmation. Do we rush into the street proclaiming the Good News? Well….. no. So what are we supposed to do in that case? If we are full of God’s Holy Spirit, how does it show? How can those who are not actively Christian see and recognize the reality, the happiness, of being Christian? Easy – we act, speak, think in a totally Christian way, so clearly and convincingly that others want to know where it comes from. That’s how we show it! Being a child of God, which is what every Christian is, means being totally involved in the world (see last week’s reflection) in such a good way that we reflect God’s goodness and the happy contentment which comes with it. Done properly, it is irresistible! Let us ask God for that same Spirit to possess us in the same way those very first Christians demonstrated it to the world all those years ago.

The Holy Spirit, unknown provenance.

PLEASE FORWARD THIS REFLECTION TO THOSE YOU THINK WOULD APPRECIATE IT.

THANK YOU.

Reflections on next Sunday’s Mass Readings will be posted on Wednesday.

Please send your reactions to: RogerJohn@aol.com

© SundayMassReadings.com