Pentecost Sunday May 19, 2024

Readings: Acts, 2:1-11,Galatians 5:16-25, John 15:26-27; 16:12-15

We are supposed to have some contact with other people who have experienced the power of God at work in their lives. One of the great successes of Alcoholics Anonymous is to make people aware once again that there is a power greater than themselves. If someone were to ask any one of us personally: what has God done in your life? How would we answer?

Many people in our time have come to recognize the list of Saint Paul, which tells us the works of the flesh, as a list of possible addictions in our lives: immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outbursts of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bouts, orgies, and the like. Whether we look on these actions as possible addictions or not, we can recognize that actions such as these deeply damage the human capacity of personal relationship.

Saint Paul tells us that those who live in the Spirit have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. This is very strong language, but also reflects the reality of trying to live good lives. What does it mean to crucify the flesh? This is an image taken directly from the suffering of Christ: am I will to give my life for another person? Am I will to fight in myself all that puts me against others? Am I will to strive to do good, even when doing that good will take a lot of my energy and perhaps not help me directly at all?

Always there are people who are living by the Spirit. They are not necessarily Catholics and sometimes not even Christians! They are people who strive to love others and give their lives in love for others. For me, I must be Catholic and that is how I find the expression of my love in Christ Jesus. I am called to respect all who live in the Spirit and to encourage everyone I meet to live in the Spirit of God.

Today, on the day we celebrate Pentecost, the coming of the Holy Spirit, we can pray that we might have the courage to tell one other person what God has done in our lives. We can pray that we might have the courage to give our own lives for others. And we can ask that the Holy Spirit would be poured out on our world to bring peace and reconciliation.                                                           

Fr. Terry.