READINGS FOR PENTECOST SUNDAY, YEAR C, SUNDAY 5TH JUNE, 2022

First Reading: Acts 2:1-11

Psalm: 103

Second Reading: 1 Corinthians 12:3-7. 12-13

Gospel: John 20:19-23

REFLECTION BY FR CORNELIUS NWAOGWUGWU, CM

THE HOLY SPIRIT IS AT WORK WITHIN US

Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is my pleasure to welcome you all as we gather together to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost in the African Chaplaincy. We say a sincere thank you to all of you for joining.

Today is Pentecost Sunday. The word Pentecost is a Greek derivative meaning “fiftieth.”.

From the Jewish perspective, Pentecost was celebrated fifty days after the Feast of the Passover. The Feast of Pentecost is also linked to Yahweh’s Covenant with Noah which took place fifty days after the severe flood. Again, this feast was an expression of gratitude to God for His Covenant with Moses on Mount Sinai which occurred fifty days after the beginning of the Exodus from Egypt. Indeed, Pentecost was one of the major Feasts of the Jewish People.

From the Christian perspective, many meanings could be ascribed to Pentecost. As a feast, Pentecost celebrates an event that occurred fifty days after the Resurrection of Jesus. Pentecost also celebrates the end of the Easter season. It celebrates the memorial of the descending of the Holy Spirit on the apostles. “The Feast of Pentecost celebrates the unseen, immeasurable presence of God in our lives and in our Church.” Put differently, Pentecost celebrates the official inauguration of the Christian Church.

We are reminded today that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are at work within us and we should share them with others to renew the face of the earth. Today’s Psalm refrain says: “Send forth your Spirit, O Lord, and renew the face of the earth.” (Psalm 103).

The First Reading describes the Pre-Pentecost event. This encounter fulfils Jesus’ promise to his apostles that they would receive “power from on high” and be filled with the Holy Spirit. This “anointing by the Holy Spirit” also strengthened the early Christian martyrs during the period of brutal persecution that followed. (Acts 2:1-11)

Like the disciples at the first Christian Pentecost, we meet today at this Mass in obedience to our Lord, to hear again and testify through the Holy Spirit God’s “mighty works” in our midst at this challenging time.

In the Second Reading, St. Paul narrates how the various spiritual gifts of the Holy Spirit enhance the Mystical Body of Christ in her mission to all nations. He emphasised that the various gifts of the Holy Spirit given to different persons were for the common good of all. (I Corinthians 12:3-7, 12-13)

The Holy Spirit blows through the world, recreating, renewing, and sustaining us with courage, hope, peace, love, care and mercy in our weaknesses. The Holy Spirit enlightens and inspires us. The Holy Spirit helps us to overcome the darkness of our lives. The Holy Spirit disposes us to hear and understand the Gospel. True reception of this Gospel includes allowing the gifts of the Holy Spirit to produce its fruits in us.

Today’s Gospel confirms the recreating and renewing power of the Holy Spirit. The Gospel describes how Jesus gave to the Apostles the power and authority to forgive sins. Jesus says, “Receive the Holy Spirit, for those whose sins you forgive, they are forgiven; for those whose sins you retain, they are retained.” These wonderful words, which bind together inseparably the presence of the Holy Spirit and the gift of forgiveness, are referred to directly in the Sacrament of Reconciliation. The gifts of the Holy Spirit enabled the Apostles to fulfill Jesus’ commission to preach the Gospel to all nations. (John 20:19-23)

St. Paul confirms that the Holy Spirit brings the fruits of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” (Galatians 5:22). He continues, “Since the Spirit is our life, let us be directed by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25). St. Paul insists that these spiritual gifts are to be used for the benefit of others, for the common good, and for the building up of the Body of Christ, the Church.

It is beautiful to know that the Holy Spirit lives within us to guide and teach us in our mission of preaching the Gospel to all nations. Saint Paul reminds the Corinthian Community of this fact when he asks, “Do you not know that God’s Spirit dwells in you?” (I Corinthians 3:16). “God has sent the Spirit of His Son into our hearts crying, Abba!’ (‘Father!’)”
(Galatians 4:6).

“God’s love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Romans 5:5). “No one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit” (I Corinthians 12:3). The Holy Spirit teaches us to pray (Romans 8:26). By the power of the Holy Spirit, we know the Lord Jesus through the Sacraments of the Church.

The Holy Spirit is our Advocate and Guide. The Holy Spirit leads us to turn away from our weakness and reassures us that we are still loved in spite of our challenges. The Holy Spirit challenges us to go out to all nations and do things for Christ and for the good of mankind.

We experience the power of the Holy Spirit in rising above our past failures and putting past hurts behind us. The Holy Spirit gives us peace of mind in the midst of challenging situations. The Holy Spirit calls us to repentance and changes our lives for good of all.

In our African Chaplaincy here in Dublin, the Holy Spirit is at work within us. We experience the presence of the Holy Spirit in the sincere concern and the generosity of those who give us so much help and promote our Pastoral Care. The Holy Spirit help us to discover inner strength in times of crisis without turning away from our faith and our sense of community.
Today as always, we are called to examine our sense of commitment to community services.

Today also is a great day to ask the Holy Spirit to rekindle in us the spirit of renewal, forgiveness, patience, tolerance and the fire of Divine love.

As individuals, families and communities, we need to be Spirit-filled Christians and prayerful. St. Paul encourages us, “Pray on every occasion as the Spirit leads…pray for all God’s people” (Ephesians 6:18).

I urge you all to pray always, keep alert and never give up. Please pray in your families, centres, pious groups and individually. Have faith and seek out every opportunity to discover Christ through the power of the Holy Spirit. Let our words and actions heal, restore and build people up instead of tearing them down.

As Saint Paul strongly encourages us, please let us “Walk by the Spirit, If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit” (Galatians 5:16, 25). The Holy Spirit is the author and source of life. Let us ask the Holy Spirit for the grace to know that life is a gift from God which all of us should value and protect.

May the Holy Spirit purify and sanctify us and give us new life, better vision, hope, courage, power to bear witness and preach the Good News to all nations. Amen.
Fr. Cornelius Nwaogwugwu, CM.