This week many seniors around the country celebrated their graduation from high school and college. A milestone they will long remember although they are not likely to recall years from now the words they heard when they wore their caps and gowns. Nonetheless, they may recall the spirit of the advice they heard that this special moment was not just a graduation; it was also a commencement exercise.
They have ended one phase of their lives and are about to begin another as they move from familiar comfortable surroundings to new settings and experiences, be it another campus, a new job, enlisting in the armed forces, getting married, to name but some of the paths they could take. As Tom Wolfe once said, “You can’t go home again.”
Fifty days after Jesus rose from the dead, the disciples discovered that. Until he ascended into heaven, they were blessed with his occasional visits. The gospels don’t tell us how often those visits occurred or he stayed since we aren’t certain when the ascension actually took place.
We do know a few facts though. Jesus had commissioned the disciples to proclaim the Good News but something was holding them back even though he assured them that they would not be abandoned. “The Paraclete whom the Father will send in my name will teach you all things.” Uncertain what to do now that Jesus was gone; the disciples were holed up in the upper room, afraid and disheartened.
Then on Pentecost, a festive day when Jews celebrated their harvest fifty days after Passover, the Paraclete, that is, the Holy Spirit, appeared to the disciples and Mary as tongues of fire; a dramatic scene that I would list as one of the most significant dates in history. Granted that is a bold claim for me to make but on that day the disciples were empowered to commence what Jesus had commissioned them to do. No longer afraid, they ventured forth to share the Good News.
Wherever they were from, devout Jews in the crowd heard the apostles speaking to them of the mighty acts of God in their native language. As men who have sinned and been forgiven, the disciples preached a message of repentance.The commencement exercise for the disciples gathered in the Upper Room was in fact the birth of the Church. Had that not happened, we would not be alive, much less gathered here in this place celebrating this feast.
Today’s psalm reminds us that the Holy Spirit, the breath of God that we as Christians received at our baptism, is the same Spirit that sustains the constant renewal of the Church and all creation. For centuries, at least ever since the psalms were written, humanity has pleaded with God, “Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth.” The prophet Joel assured his listeners that this would be done. “Thus says the Lord, ‘I will pour out my spirit upon on all flesh.’”
Do you feel that happening to you? If not, consider what Paul observed centuries after Joel lived, “ …the Spirit comes to the aid of our weakness for we do not know how to pray as we ought.”
When reflecting on our own experiences of the outpouring of the Spirit, we might remember the times our fears and anxieties were laid to rest, replaced by a sense of serenity. Perhaps peace descended on us in prayer, while watching the dawn break or the sun set. Perhaps the Spirit’s peace touched us as we washed dishes or did some gardening. We might recall receiving the Spirit in the forgiveness of one another or of the Church. Perhaps the Spirit came in the form of understanding parents, accepting friends, or a loving spouse. What of the times we ourselves offered the gift of healing forgiveness to people who brought us pain? Surely the Spirit has acted through us when we have been able to to shift our focus from our heartache and acknowledge that those who hurt us share common clay with us.
On Ash Wednesday, those of us who had ashes smeared on our foreheads were urged to turn away from sin and be faithful to the gospel for that is where we can find the peace that Christ offers, which we yearn for. In the weeks since, we were given a crash course in reconciliation and mercy, in hope and forgiveness. Now, fourteen weeks later, as we commence our journey into ordinary time, we are being called to continue the work of the Holy Spirit in our communities and throughout the world. We can either allow the Spirit, that fire meant to set the world ablaze, to enter us or we can continue to hide in the upper room of futility and ego, of self destruction and privilege. Many do the just that.They might call themselves religious but they choose not to hear the wind blowing, too preoccupied with their own agendas to enter into an intimate relationship with JesusChrist.
On Pentecost, the disciples received the Spirit from Christ himself; we have received the Holy Spirit from Christ as well. This advocate, this comforter grants us the conviction and courage to carry out our mission of offering peace and forgiveness with all whom we meet in the name of Jesus.
Throughout the history of salvation, God calls his people to leave behind what is closed minded and narrow. Instead, we are being called to be open to the Spirit, who is continually being sent into our lives by God to empower us to carry out our mission, which is living Christ’s gospel message to love, teach, pray and serve.