Greetings on this Pentecost Sunday
Readings: Acts 2:1-11; Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34 ; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23
Summary
The first imperative of love is perfectly paired with the primal human need to be heard, understood, and responded to, Everyone, Everywhere.
A very simple example is that all infants communicate basic needs from the moment they are born. These are universal, pre-cry, reflex sounds. Loving parents immediately begin trying to “translate” what their newborn is communicating (especially before the crying begins). In a similar way, Pentecost is not merely “miraculous speech.” – for Star Trek fans – not merely a universal translator – It is divine love making itself intelligible. “To see me” and “to hear me” is an act of love. Speaking to someone in their own language is recognition of unique personhood.
When the time for Pentecost was fulfilled, they were all in one place together. Then there appeared to them tongues as 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 (Acts 2:1, 3-4).
Pentecost is first and foremost a gift, a gift Proceeding from the Father and the Son. A gift of gathering in, personally abiding on all of them, and making possible again true communication damaged since the ancient story of the Tower of Babel. Pentecost is also the revelation of the Person of the Holy Spirit. The Church wisely celebrates the Holy Spirit for two Sunday Celebrations: Pentecost and Trinity Sunday (which is next week).
- What proceeds most fully from the Father and the Son? The Pentecost of communication (communion) and knowing the Lord as well as each other.
- How very sorely we need to listen and understand each other with the Holy Spirit because he illumines, guides, unites, reveals, and sanctifies.
Everyone and Everywhere.
The Church calls this “synodality” — learning again to walk together, listen to one another and hear the Holy Spirit speaking through the lived experiences, languages and gifts of the People of God. Pentecost is the divine foundation of that reality. Pentecost arrives (and is renewed) before humanity collapses entirely into fragmentation.
Reflection
- From every nation under the Sun, the devout Jews gathered, converts to Judaism, Cretans and Arabs.
- Everyone from Everywhere.
- All different languages, different customs and different worldviews.
- Each of them blessed with the gift of the Holy Spirit – among the gifts – Communication. True relation.
From different places and self-identified as citizens of different countries:
- Parthians
- Medes
- 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.
Personal Reflection
Pentecost is a spiritual reversal of the Tower of Babel (Genesis 11:1-9, Tower of Babel). Gathering again the people in one place, retaining the beauty of the variety of languages but removing from them the pride and vanity that causes division and strife. In this great movement of the Holy Spirit, we are now able to hear God and one another. Each in his own language and frame of reference. Clearly and specifically the divine message comes through the lips of others.
Even our Holy Eucharist, which we will celebrate shortly, is made fully known in the Spirit of God.
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 (1 Cor 12:13).
Lord, send out your Spirit, and renew the face of the earth (PS 104:30).
Sacred Readings full text: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/052426-Day
Sequence — Veni, Sancte Spiritus – here: https://deacongerrypalermo.blog/2022/06/05/veni-sancte-spiritus/
The five Pre-Cry sounds of babies – The 5 sounds, spelled phonetically, are “NEH” – “EH” – EAIRH” – “HEH” and OWH” – Here: https://www.dunstanbaby.com/
Peace be with you,
Deacon Gerry