“I have told you this while I am with you. The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything and remind you of all that I told you. (Jn. 14:26)
As we prepare to come to the end of the Easter season once again with the celebration of Pentecost Sunday next week, I would like to offer some reflections on the importance of the Holy Spirit in the life of the Church and in each of our lives. If you have been paying attention over these past two weeks, you will have noticed the prominence of the Holy Spirit in the readings both last Sunday and this Sunday as well as on Ascension Thursday. Last Sunday’s gospel passage included the line quoted above; it is our Lord’s assurance at the Last Supper of the coming of the Holy Spirit to his disciples. After spending three years with them, teaching them all about the Kingdom of God that he had come to bring in their midst, he assured his disciples that the Holy Spirit would remind them of “of all that I told you.” And, in the first reading from the Acts of the Apostles last Sunday, we learned that the early followers of the risen Lord relied on the Holy Spirit regarding the acceptance of the Gentiles into their fold, assuring them that “it is the decision of the Holy Spirit and of us not to place on you any burden beyond these necessities” (Acts 15:28).
In the first reading on Ascension Thursday, we heard St. Luke recount that “in the first book, Theophilus, I dealt with all that Jesus did and taught until the day he was taken up, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen” (Acts 1:1). Clearly, the author of St. Luke’s two books – the Gospel named after him and the Acts of the Apostles – was aware that Jesus had taught his apostles “through the Holy Spirit.” As the second person of the Blessed Trinity, Jesus did the will of the Father through the power of the Holy Spirit.
And, this Sunday’s first reading recounts how the deacon, Stephen, filled with the Holy Spirit, “saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God” (Acts 7:55). Stephen was accompanied by God, the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, as he was being stoned to death. This beatific vision gave him such peace that he “cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them’; and when he said this, he fell asleep” (Acts 7:60). In the loving embrace of the Blessed Trinity, Stephen would not even feel the pain of being stoned and had the grace to beg for his executioners’ forgiveness.
The Holy Spirit empowers each generation to continue the ministry our Lord, Jesus called all of his followers to fulfill. The Gospel must still be proclaimed far and wide today! At the same time, the festival of Pentecost provides occasion to celebrate all the gifts of the Spirit. Traditionally, the Church speaks of the seven gifts of the Spirit that are listed in the Book of the Prophet Isaiah 11:1-3: wisdom, understanding, knowledge, fortitude, counsel, piety and fear of the Lord. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church states so well, “the moral life of Christians is sustained by the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These are permanent dispositions which make man docile in following the promptings of the Holy Spirit” (§ 1830). The Church also speaks of the twelve fruits of the Holy Spirit, derived from the Letter to the Galatians 5:22-23: charity, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, generosity, gentleness, faithfulness, modesty, self-control and chastity. The fruits of the Spirit, as the Catechism explains, “are perfections that the Holy Spirit forms in us as the first fruits of eternal glory” (§ 1832). In celebrating the gifts and fruits of the Spirit, we Christianize the Old Testament Festival of Weeks – more on that next week – and rejoice in the first fruits of our faith!
In celebrating Pentecost Sunday, we recognize the many effects of the Spirit of God in our lives. We, who follow Christ, are able to call upon the Spirit to embolden us in doing God’s work. Just as those who were in the Upper Room, we receive the power of the Holy Spirit in the sacraments of Baptism and Confirmation. With this power, we can live as God calls us to live in the Book of Genesis – in his image and likeness! Now that we have been freed from slavery to sin through the death and resurrection of Christ, we can live the moral life that Jesus showed us through his teachings and actions while he lived among us. Infused with the gifts of the Spirit of God, we can boldly proclaim the Gospel in our daily lives with wisdom and understanding. We can live piously, respecting God and everyone we meet, for everyone is made in the image and likeness of God. And living this way gives us the fruits of the Spirit, which allows us to live in joy and peace, with patience, kindness, goodness and generosity toward all, and faithfulness to God and our vocation.
As we prepare to celebrate this great Solemnity of Pentecost, I invite you to reflect on these wonderful gifts and fruits of the Holy Spirit in your life; it will bring you great peace and the assurance of God’s presence in your everyday challenge to live as a follower of Christ. I will offer a more historical reflection on this important feast next week; stay tuned!