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HOMILIES ARCHIVE
HOMILIES
Dear Audience,For better understanding of the spiritual message behind this homily I kindly remind you to first read and contemplate the biblical texts before reading or listening to my preaching - a human reflection on the Word of God!
The Feast of the Pentecost (Year B)
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0First Reading
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles (2:1-11)
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. And suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.
Then there appeared to them tongues of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in different tongues, as the Spirit enabled them to proclaim.
Now there were devout Jews from every nation under heaven staying in Jerusalem. At this sound, they gathered in a large crowd, but they were confused because each one heard them speaking in his own language. They were astounded, and in amazement they asked, "Are not all these people who are speaking Galileans? Then how does each of us hear them in his native language? We are Parthians, Medes, and Elamites, inhabitants of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia, Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the districts of Libya near Cyrene, as well as travelers from Rome, both Jews and converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs, yet we hear them speaking in our own tongues of the mighty acts of God."
(P) The word of the Lord.(R) Thanks be to God.
Responsorial Psalm
Psalms of David (104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34)
(R) Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the Earth.
Bless the Lord, O my soul! O Lord, my God, you are great indeed! How manifold are your works, O Lord! The Earth is full of your creatures. (R)
If you take away their breath, they perish and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created, and you renew the face of the Earth. (R)
May the glory of the Lord endure forever; may the Lord be glad in His works! Pleasing to Him be my theme; I will be glad in the Lord. (R)
Second Reading
A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Corinthians (12:3b-7, 12-13)
Brothers and sisters: No one can say, "Jesus is Lord," except by the Holy Spirit. There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone. To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.
As a body is one though it has many parts, and all the parts of the body, though many, are one body, so also Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, slaves or free persons, and we were all given to drink of one Spirit.
(P) The word of the Lord.(R) Thanks be to God.
Gospel
A reading from the holy Gospel according to John (20:19-23)
On the evening of that first day of the week, when the doors were locked, where the disciples were, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in their midst and said to them, "Peace be with you."
When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." And when he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. Whose sins you forgive are forgiven them, and whose sins you retain are retained."
(P) The Gospel of the Lord.(R) Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.
Homily
Today I complete my reflections on the Resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Since Easter Sunday we have been reading the accounts of Jesus' post-Resurrection appearances to his followers. During his appearances Jesus offered them peace, helped them recall the Scriptures and prophecies made by him on his death and resurrection, dissipated all their fears and reassured them of his presence. On the fortieth day he made his last appearance to them and before his ascension, he promised to send them the Holy Spirit. He had also promised them on the eve of his crucifixion that he would not leave them orphans. He told them that the Father would send the Helper, the Holy Spirit, John (14:16), who would be with them forever.
Hence, on the fiftieth day after his resurrection, Jesus' promise was fulfilled. The Holy Spirit came and filled the followers of Jesus. It was absolutely essential for his followers to be filled with the Spirit of God. Once they were filled with the Holy Spirit, they overcame their timidity. They began to preach with great power and boldness. They converted many people and worked many miracles. Without wealth and with no weapons, but empowered by the Holy Spirit, they became dynamic witnesses.
Saint Paul is one of the early believers to be filled with the power of the Holy Spirit. The influence of the Holy Spirit is best reflected in his preaching, writings and life. In all his letters to the early churches he stressed the importance of the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit in the life of the believer. Because he believed that it is only by the power of the Holy Spirit whereby the believer can overcome his sinful disposition and live a life of holiness.
Today's second reading is taken from his letter to the churches in Galatia. Galatia was a small country and a part of the Roman Empire at the time of Paul. Some scholars believe that Galatia was probably the most difficult mission for Paul because many of the members of these churches were Gentiles and they were generally superstitious and worshipped pagan gods. When they became Christians they were expected to leave behind their old customs of idol worship, rituals and astrology, Gal (4:8-10). But the Galatians had absorbed their former pagan worship traditions into their Christian faith as well.
So, a small group of Jews within the church, who were unhappy with what was going on, stirred their members against Paul and his teachings by telling them that they must keep certain Jewish laws and practices. They spoke against Paul and began to cause trouble for him. Many turned from Paul and believed the new teachers. As a result, the churches were beginning to split into racial factions. They began to engage in destructive conflict among themselves. They were provoking and challenging one another, Gal (5:26). Paul, who was at Ephesus at the time was deeply grieved to hear about the problems and wrote the letter.
In today's section of the letter, Paul called on the Galatians to live a Spirit filled life. What does "Spirit filled life" mean? Spirit filled life means a life filled with Christ. It is not something which happens to us only once either at baptism or confirmation or marriage or ordination or at a prayer time. It does not happen automatically but rather occurs when the believer actively, consciously, deliberately, happily and constantly chooses to walk in the spirit of the gospel of Jesus. However, as it is hard to walk in the spirit, Saint Paul enjoins the believers to yield themselves to God and persistently seek Him to empower them with the gifts or virtues of the Spirit. In speaking of the coming Messiah, Prophet Isaiah told us that He will give us seven gifts of the Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, piety and fear of the Lord, Isaiah (11:2).
Based on the teaching of Saint Thomas Aquinas, the Church states (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1830-31) that these gifts "belong in their fullness to Christ. They complete and perfect our virtues. They make us docile in readily obeying divine inspirations". That being so, Paul says that these seven gifts enable the believers to say "no" to or avoid sins such as, "immorality, impurity, lust, idolatry, sorcery, hatreds, rivalry, jealousy, outburst of fury, acts of selfishness, dissensions, factions, occasions of envy, drinking bout, orgies, and the like", (v.18), and in contrast, say "yes" and generate "love, joy, peace, kindness, generosity, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control". Paul calls these fruits of the Holy Spirit.
This isn't simply a message intended for the Galatians or believers of his time alone. It's a message intended for you and me. If the Holy Spirit was essential to Jesus before he began to minister, and if it was essential to the early disciples of Jesus, it is absolutely essential that all of us be filled with the Spirit of God as well. We need the Holy Spirit to live in us, inspire us and anoint the words we speak. We need the Spirit to help us live a holy life and serve and love others effectively. We need the Spirit to help us to be pleasing to both God and man. Therefore, we shall pray today and always that the Lord may fill us with the gifts of the Holy Spirit.
(P) Amen.God Bless You!
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