Dear friends, it is Pentecost!

This is the great day when the Church became catholic, which means, a universal sacrament of salvation for all people, nations, languages and cultures. We are re-enacting this universality via our multi-cultural celebration today to show that all cultures, tribes and peoples are taken up in an embrace of the divine human salvific encounter.

What we celebrate today is not Pentecost per se; rather, the events that happened on a very special Pentecost day. The word Pentecost is a transliteration or anglicization of the Greek word Pentēkosté which means 50 days, and refers to the 50 days after Passover. In Jewish Rabbinic traditions, this feast had always been observed by devout Jews as Hag shavuot (feast of weeks, or feast of 50 days), as one of three feasts during which pilgrimage is made to Jerusalem. The Christian Pentecost marks 50 days after the Paschal (Easter, as our Passover). It was in the course of this Pentecost pilgrimage that the apostles, who were hitherto afraid and cocooned in prayers in the upper room, had an empowering experience that transformed their lives; namely, the gift of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit descended upon them in the form of fire and they boldly came out to proclaim the good news of salvation to all people who were present in Jerusalem for the great feast. They all at once, heard the good news, for the first time proclaimed in their different languages. What an exciting experience to hear the message of salvation spoken in one’s own language, in a foreign land, and by total strangers! It was as if God was speaking to them directly, and including them in the salvation history.

Acts of the Apostles chapter 2 records the theophany elements of this great moment as fire, mighty wind and strange tongues! All these elements are symbolic! Fire has always been a sign of divine presence. For instance, the burning bush revealed God to Moses (Exod 3); God accompanied Israel by the pillar of fire out of Egypt (Exod 14), and divine fire came down to consume the sacrifice creation, the spirit hovers like wind over the formless void (Gen 1:1), while the divine great east wind divided the Sea of Red (Exod 14:21). Finally, speaking in different tongues or languages (Acts 2:4) unified human languages once scattered at the Tower of Babel (Gen 11:1-9). Now, all peoples can understand the same message at the same time, thanks to the Holy Spirit.

When the Risen Christ visited his apostles he breathed on them the Holy Spirit and sent them forth as the Father sent him, with the authority to forgive sins (Jn 20:21-2). However, before his ascension, he warned his followers to remain in Jerusalem until they receive the gift of the Father-power from above for public witnessing (Lk 24:49; Acts 1:8). Now, on this great feast day of Pentecost, he does not just breathe on them, rather he pours out the spirit upon them individually, emboldening them to openly proclaim that Jesus is the Lord (1 Cor 12:3) and to break out from their fearful comfort zone in order to announce the gospel to all creatures (Mk 16:15). Their preaching was ecstatic and convincing that many were converted to the faith on this first day. It therefore means that the Christian faith belongs to all from that day as the Holy Spirit makes us all to realize our universal “brethrenhood”. All the different parts of humanity become one in unity but not in uniformity as the spirit is given differently to each for the good of all (1 Cor 12:4-13).

We have received the Holy Spirit for we are all baptized in the same spirit with our different gifts for the good of all (1 Cor 12:13). Let us not act like those St. Stephen accused of always resisting the Holy Spirit (Acts 7:51), rather let each of us fan into flame the gifts we have received and excel in the exercise of our ministries by allowing the Spirit to operate in us and to lead us (2 Tim 1:6). Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of the faithful and enkindle in us the fire of your love.

Happy Feast!

Fr Stanislaus Okonkwo

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