“He breathed on them…” Well, that certainly wouldn’t make Jesus very popular today, especially if he wasn’t wearing a mask! But, the breath of Jesus wasn’t deadly; in fact, it was just the opposite. Just as God had breathed life into the man that he had formed out of the clay of the earth – as we hear in the creation account in the Book of Genesis – so Jesus breathes life into the Church; we celebrate that today with great joy on Pentecost Sunday. In today’s first reading, we hear of the breath of God come in an even more explosive way. “Suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.” Unlike the big, bad wolf who huffed and puffed to blow the house down, the Holy Spirit filled the place where the disciples were to build up the house – the new kingdom of God that Jesus had come establish. We continue to hear in today’s first reading, “Then there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.” You will recall the fire that rushed between the offerings that Abraham had placed on the ground when God established his covenant with him and the fire that covered Mount Sinai when Moses climbed up the mountain to receive the Ten Commandments in preparation for the Covenant God would establish with Israel in the desert. With the apostles in the upper room, the tongues of fire confirmed the new covenant that Jesus had given us in the breaking of the bread at the Last Supper. Once again, we are told of God’s presence in our midst. Through the breath of life and the flaming fire, God’s Spirit is with them, just as Jesus had promised.
You will recall that Jesus had promised this Spirit when he spoke to his disciples at the Last Supper. He had assured them that he would not leave them orphaned. As we heard just two Sundays ago, Jesus told them that “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always.” And in today’s Gospel, he hear that he had breathed this Spirit upon his Apostles when he appeared to them on the day of his Resurrection.
In today’s first reading, we hear that Jews from every nation were outside of that crowded house. They had gathered in the Temple in Jerusalem for the ancient feast of Pentecost, fifty days after Passover. These were an annual celebrations of the first harvest and God’s freeing his people from slavery in Egypt. Despite the difference of language that they spoke, each heard the message in their own tongue.
Two thousand years later, we gather in today’s temple – some here in church, most of you in the temple of your homes. Yes, your homes are house churches, a tradition that we find from the earliest of Christian days. Like those early followers of Christ, we exist in a world of uncertainty. We find ourselves cowering in our homes, afraid of a threat that hovers outside. Like the first followers of our Lord, we find strength as a community and solace in communal prayer. Like them, we crave the words of Jesus to assure and guide us. Most important, like them, we have been redeemed by Christ’s sacrifice and have been baptized and sealed in his Spirit.
We may not feel the strong driving wind nor see the tongues of fire, but the Spirit is here and dwelling among us. The Holy Spirit of God guides the Church today and each of us has received that Holy Spirit at our baptism and in its fullness when we were confirmed. And, as he did with the first disciples, this Spirit has given us varied gifts in order to build up God’s kingdom. As we hear in today’s second reading, to each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for our benefit. That same Spirit of Jesus is empowering each of us to go out and boldly proclaim the Good News – that Jesus has died for all, that he has forgiven our sins, that he has destroyed death’s power over us, and that in all things, Jesus loves us. Now that is something to shout about in any language.
Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and we shall be created and you will renew the face of the earth!