Today is Pentecost Sunday. This is the last day of the Easter Season and it is the birthday of the Church. I just told you the two things that most Catholics understand about Pentecost Sunday. Now let me give you another level to understand this day—Theophany.
Theophany is when God manifests Himself in powerful ways. We can see it happen with Moses when he goes to encounter God after he leads people out of Israel. We can see it with Elijah when he battles the prophets of Ba’al. We can see it with the Apostles when they receive the Holy Spirit upon and they are empowered to be God’s prophets to the world.
This is what Pentecost is, when God empowered his people to serve him in the Holy Spirit and power. What has this day become? The same as what I said the last day of Easter Sunday and the Birthday of the Church.
I want you to look at those two ideas. Where is the power in them? There is none. Where is the power of Pentecost, there is plenty in the work of the Apostles and even the Church. Where did the power go? It got lost by people who turned the faith into nothing more than a moral code.
They take all the words of the Bible and reduce them to about two chapters in the letters of St. Paul. This took the power from our Church.
What are people focused upon? We have to be good enough to get to heaven. What must we be focused upon instead? One of the two sentences by Jesus in the Acts of the Apostles—You will receive power when the Holy Spirit Comes upon you.
What is that power? The power to serve Christ by living in relationship to God in all we do. That is the power. How do we live that power by allowing the Holy Spirit to transform us and lead us to grow in the power of Christ.
What is the difference? We can see it all the time. The Catholic who has forgotten the Holy Spirit will do what must be done to get to heaven. The empowered Catholic will do what must be done to help people to encounter Christ and be filled with the Holy Spirit. Do you see the difference?
Our Church is filled with people who are putting forth worldly agendas. Others fill the Church who seek to create a nice environment but Christ empowered you to bring the faith where others do not dare to bring it. He empowered you to discern and when to preach the Gospel and he empowered you to live the faith in a way that leads others to be filled with the spirit as well.
However, this does not mean with big shows. The devil puts on Big Shows, God works in small ways that become big powerful displays of his glory.
Many look for miracles as signs of God’s presence. Sometimes those miracles are so small that no one would even care.
Someone gave me a donation for a ministry I did, I immediately gave it to someone who I know needs help. He called me up and asked me why I sent the money. I told him that someone donated to me and I know that he could use it. He said he did not know how he was going to feed his children that day and suddenly he received that $100 which is just what he needed.
That was the work of the Holy Spirit.
I found that when great problems arise, God raises people up to strengthen you during those times. Sometimes the people you help disappear when the problem ends. That is the Holy Spirit and power.
Sometimes you might be the person raised up and have no idea. Later you may find out.
None of this will help you understand if you see the faith as nothing more than a moral code or you see the faith as nothing more than to be nice to people.
The Holy Spirit called us to co-operate with God and that is what we do. We may never see the results of our actions but they are there.
So this is the day we actually celebrate our empowerment in the Holy Spirit which happened at our baptism and confirmation and become part of our life through our participation at Mass. It is real and it is not found in a big show.
Fr. Robert J Carr is pastor of St. Anthony Parish in Allston, MA
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