Feeling spiritually drained? Need to be healed? Trying to make a wise decision? Who you gonna call? The Holy Spirit, of course! Today's readings are all about calling on the Holy Spirit to charge our spiritual batteries, to heal us in body and soul, to help us act wisely, and to make us soldiers of Christ ready and able to defeat the forces of evil. 

Acts 2:1-11
Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34
1 Corinthians 12: 3-7, 12-13
John 20:19-23

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Now when the day of Pentecost had come, they were all with one accord in one place. Suddenly there came from the sky a sound like the rushing of a mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. Tongues like fire appeared and were distributed to them, and one sat on each of them. They were all filled with the Holy Spirit, and began to speak with other languages, as the Spirit gave them the ability to speak. Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem Jews, devout men, from every nation under the sky. When this sound was heard, the multitude came together, and were bewildered, because everyone heard them speaking in his own language. They were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, “Behold, aren’t all these who speak Galileans? How do we hear, everyone in our own native language? Parthians, Medes, Elamites, and people from Mesopotamia, Judea, Cappadocia, Pontus, Asia, Phrygia, Pamphylia, Egypt, the parts of Libya around Cyrene, visitors from Rome, both Jews and proselytes, Cretans and Arabians: we hear them speaking in our languages the mighty works of God!” Acts 2:1-11

Luke sets the stage for the arrival of the Holy Spirit whom Jesus had promised to send. We can imagine that the 120 disciples are anxious and fearful. Perhaps the authorities are planning at this very moment to come and arrest them. All of a sudden, they hear what sounds like a mighty wind. This roaring wind is the groaning of the physical universe as it experiences the awesome power of the Spirit of God, the same Spirit that hovered over the waters before the creation of the world. Imagine the roaring sound of a hurricane without the wind! The disciples are experiencing the power of God being unleashed to recreate the world in his image! 

The tongues of fire produce no heat, for they are the symbols of the fire of God's pure love flooding their minds and hearts with extraordinary gifts of faith, prophecy, healing, knowledge, wisdom, and courage, i.e., grace. They also receive the remarkable ability to make themselves understood by others who do not even speak their language. Did the Holy Spirit temporarily lift the curse of Babel where God caused the builders to no longer understand each other as their pride led them to erect a tower to heaven? Does this universal understanding give us a glimpse of the world God intended before the fall, a world without lies and deception? The Holy Spirit is ready right now to lift our spirits. Let us open our hearts and feel his presence. Yes, we are walking on air! Such is the effect of the elevating presence of the Holy Spirit.

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Bless [the Lord], my soul.
[Lord], my God, you are very great.
You are clothed with honor and majesty.
[Lord], how many are your works!
In wisdom have you made them all.
The earth is full of your riches.
You hide your face: they are troubled;
you take away their breath: they die, and return to the dust.
You send out your Spirit and they are created.
You renew the face of the [earth].
Let [the Lord's] glory endure forever.
Let [the Lord] rejoice in his works.
Let your meditation be sweet to him.
I will rejoice in [the Lord]. Psalm 104:1, 24, 29-30, 31, 34

The psalmist describes the Holy Spirit as the Spirit of creation who gives life to all God's creatures. This Spirit enables species to reproduce and inspires humans to strive for greatness: to become holy as God is holy. Such conversion enables God to renew our spirit where we go from glory to glory on the road that leads to heaven!

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Now there are various kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are various kinds of service, and the same Lord. There are various kinds of workings, but the same God, who works all things in all. But to each one is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the profit of all. For as the body is one, and has many members, and all the members of the body, being many, are one body; so also is Christ. For in one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether bond or free; and were all given to drink into one Spirit. 1 Corinthians 12: 3-7, 12-13

Paul preaches that it is the action of the Holy Spirit working in those with open hearts that leads us to believe in Christ. An open heart is receptive to the promptings of the Holy Spirit and that leads to conversion and the bestowal of God's gifts on the believer. Our individual gifts serve the whole body of Christ, the Church.

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When therefore it was evening, on that day, the first day of the week, and when the doors

were locked where the disciples were assembled, for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood in the middle, and said to them, “Peace be to you.”

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and his side. The disciples therefore were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus therefore said to them again, “Peace be to you. As the Father has sent me, even so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them, and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit! If you forgive anyone’s sins, they have been forgiven them. If you retain anyone’s sins, they have been retained.” John 20:19-23

Jesus' breathing the Holy Spirit on his apostles was a preview of what the disciples experienced at Pentecost. Here the focus is on commission: God sent Jesus and now Jesus will send his apostles to spread the Good News, to convert others and save souls. And what about those who hearts remain closed and reject their message? The apostles will shake the dust from their sandals (a Jewish sign of rejection) and move on to those more receptive. Those with open hearts will receive the grace of conversion; those who reject Jesus' message will reap the whirlwind. Our decision today to accept or reject Jesus will have grave consequences as to where our soul will dwell in the future. Let us implore the Holy Spirit to help us make the right decision:

Come, Holy Spirit, and fill the hearts of the faithful and kindle in us the fire of your love. Send forth you Spirit and we shall be created and you shall renew the face of the earth! O God, who by the light of the Holy Spirit did instruct the hearts of the faithful, may we by that same light be made truly wise and ever enjoy his consolation. Through Christ Our Lord. Amen.

Pentecost marks the birthday of the Church. Let us all thank God for his church and wish all its members a very happy birthday!

John