Acts 2:1-11
Ps 104
1 Cor 12:3-7,12-13
Jn 20:19-23
"Come Holy Ghost
Creator blest
and in our hearts
take up they rest"
The hymn we all learned in childhood is a free translation and paraphrase of the ancient "Veni Creator Spiritus" 'Come Creator Spirit,' thought to have been composed by a German monk in the ninth century. It has been set to music in various languages by many composers over the twelve centuries since, with a range of styles from Gregorian chant to somewhat dissonant twentieth century approaches. Most shocking is the use of the last verse as the final words of the opera Dialogues of the Carmelites. They are sung by Sr. Blanche as she ascends to the guillotine to face her death simply for being a nun of the monastery. It is one of the most devastating scenes in all of opera.
The second reading in the office of readings yesterday was part of a sermon by an anonymous sixth century African who wrote, "The disciples spoke in the languages of every nation . . . whoever received the Spirit spoke in every kind of tongue." Today the Church speaks in the language of every nation as she embraces the languages of the people. In that sense Catholic Church speaks in tongues to all peoples at all times.
One hears in theology school that one cannot understand the New Testament without first knowing the old. This is particularly true of Pentecost which is not a uniquely Christian term or feast though the meaning of Pentecost for us is different than is Pentecost in the Jewish tradition.
Pentecost derives from the Greek root meaning fifty days. The Jewish Pentecost, also known as Shavuot, commemorates Moses receiving the Ten Commandments fifty days after the Exodus. In the Jewish liturgical year Pentecost falls fifty days after the first seder of Passover. This year Shavuot began Sunday evening May 16 and ended two days later on Tuesday May 18.
In the Catholic liturgical year Pentecost falls fifty days after Easter, with Easter Sunday counted as day number one. Just as Moses received the wisdom of the Decalogue fifty days after the Exodus from Egypt, the disciples, and by extension the Church, received the wisdom of the Holy Spirit fifty days after Jesus’ resurrection, His exodus from death.
The first reading is dramatic. Wind. Fire. Speaking in tongues. A shocked populace hearing the poorly educated and unsophisticated Galileans speaking whatever language was necessary to tell the city's many visitors the Good News of Jesus. Scholars sometimes refer to the speaking in tongues as “the reversal of Babel,” the undoing of the event that caused the earth's multiplicity of languages, a multiplicity that is a source of division among the peoples. That division and the periodic conflicts that result from it will remain, no matter how many COEXIST bumper stickers travel the highway.
At Pentecost, that which had been split apart by man's pride at Babel was rejoined through Jesus’ humble obedience to the Father in Jerusalem.
Upon the descent of the Holy Spirit, that which had been shattered by hubris, was reformed through Jesus' sending of the Holy Spirit.
The reading from Paul's First Letter to the Corinthians is important because emphasizes both the unity of believers and the diversity of gifts which they receive, the diverse talents that each possesses and, by implication, those talents and abilities which each does not possess.
Paul wrote, “To each individual the manifestation of the Spirit is given for some benefit.” We celebrate those manifestations today, we celebrate those gifts of the Spirit. Each of us is given gifts in various combinations. These gifts are neither identical to nor interchangeable with the gifts given to anyone else. A major life task is to discover our unique gifts and develop them.
In some strata of American society it is fashionable, if not required, to deny even the possibility of differences and distinctions, abilities and inabilities, talents and complete lack of talent. The reality is, however, that no one can be anything he or she wants to be simply by wanting it. It was never true. It will never be true. No, we are not all equal in ability, talent, intelligence, or anything else.
Some in government and society go so far as to deny fundamental biological differences with delusional intensity, demanding that others buy into that delusion at the penalty of job loss or other draconian penalties. The result of denying differences in the name of equality results in a bizarre pseudo-equality that is a malignant form of exclusivity. This pseudo-equality fuels a heightened sense of specialness. As a result each individual or group insists that his, her, or the its specialness must be recognized as the most special of all specialness.
Med school professors oftentimes share parodies regarding the body during anatomy or physiology class. The general outline is an argument among organs or body parts about which of them is the most important, arguing among themselves which is the supreme controller, which is the MOST critical to the life, comfort, and survival of the organism. But, except for the appendix, an organ of sorts that does appear to be useless, there is no most important organ. All of the body's organs are equally necessary. Each has unique functions that cannot be replaced by another. The lungs cannot do the work of the liver. The liver will never do the work of the heart. The pancreas cannot replace the kidneys. If one organ or organ-system fails the body dies as one by one the other organs and organ systems fail.
No one can become anything he or she wants to be simply by wanting to be that thing or pretending to be it. No one can become something simply by "identifying" as it. We all live within realities that are chromosomal, physiological, psychological, and cognitive among many others. Some of these limits are inborn others are acquired. We all have strengths and abilities. We all have weaknesses, inabilities, and disabilities. It will never not be so. The only true equality, the exclusive lowest common denominator among humans, is that we are sinners. We are sinners loved by God, but, sinners nonetheless. We can never afford to forget that.
The gifts and graces of the Holy Spirit have been bestowed upon us. Our first task is to cooperate with them in the manner to which each of us is called. The second task is to use those gifts and graces to share the revelation of Jesus with those whom we meet using whatever language necessary.
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Sometimes I shoot pics of things that simply catch my eye. This kind of photography is possible only when alone and in the right mood. Any number of things may shout 'Shoot me, shoot me.' So I do.
All three of these were shot on the same Sunday morning, fairly early in the day, while wandering the streets of Ljubljana in July 2018.
Without the two turquoise vases shouting out this photo never would have happened.
+ Fr. Jack, SJ, MD
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