Pentecost Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost, which marks the birth of the Church through the outpouring of the gift of the Holy Spirit.

In the Book of Genesis, we are told of the Tower of Babel. Here, human pride rejected God’s design for humanity. At Babel, a unified human race, driven by arrogance, attempted to build a massive tower to reach into the heavens. This was a direct rejection of God’s command to scatter, multiply, and fill the earth. Because of this act of defiance, God intervened by confounding their single language into many, leaving them unable to communicate with one another.

At Pentecost, a profound reversal of Babel takes place. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church reminds us, “By this power of the Spirit, God's children can bear much fruit. He who has grafted us onto the true vine will make us bear 'the fruit of the Spirit’... The Church, through the scattering of nations, gathers them into the unity of God's family.”

Therefore, at Pentecost, the Holy Spirit descends, and the Apostles begin to speak in different languages. The miracle lies in the fact that everyone is now able to hear the Gospel being proclaimed in their own tongue. Language is no longer a barrier of confusion, as it was at Babel, because the Holy Spirit allows us to hear and understand the truth that has been revealed.

The fire that descended upon the Upper Room did not come to destroy and isolate, but to purify and to heal. At Babel, there was a prideful desire to storm heaven through human power alone, while the Apostles waited in humble prayer for heaven to descend upon them. Through this divine encounter, we have been unified and are now empowered to confess together that Jesus Christ is Lord.

Today, we are invited to look inward at our own lives. Do we rely upon our own strength, leading us down the path of pride, anger, and division? Pentecost does not leave us isolated; instead, it invites us to enter into deep communion with God, the giver of all good gifts. In the Church, this communion is made manifest as people of every nation, race, and tongue stand together before the altar of sacrifice to give God glory and praise.

Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, we are given the grace necessary to live this calling out in the world. We can now scatter across this globe as true witnesses to Christ, multiplying His disciples through our love, and filling the entire earth with the radiant glory of His Gospel. We are not sent out alone; we are propelled forward by the gentle, powerful aid of the Holy Spirit.

Come, Holy Spirit, fill the hearts of Your faithful and kindle in them the fire of Your love. Send forth Your Spirit and they shall be created, and You shall renew the face of the earth.

Pentecost Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost.

Pentecost is celebrated each year 50 days after the celebration of Easter. It was here that the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles as they were gathered together in prayer. Through this interaction with the Holy Spirit they were empowered in being sent forth throughout the world to spread the message of the Gospel.

This celebration of Pentecost brings to fulfillment that which was instituted by God in the Old Testament through Moses. Therefore, 50 days following the observance of Passover Jews would observe the Feast of Weeks. Seeing that this falls on the fiftieth day this celebration is known as Pentecost in Greek.

Pentecost was a time of joy and celebration for those of the Jewish faith. What was being celebrated was the giving of the of the Law to Israel through the use of Moses. During this time of prayer they would gather the first fruits of the harvest in order that they may be offered unto God.

Christ becomes this first fruit for us as for the Jew this first fruit was what was offered at the Passover. It is He who died upon the cross and through His glorious Resurrection we have been set free. From 1st Corinthians we are told, “But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep.”

Through our celebration of Pentecost we are reminded that we have received a wondrous gift in the form of the Holy Spirit. We must do something with the gifts that have been extended to us by God. What has taken place is not the completion of the harvest because we must first remain good and faithful servants of the Lord.

The celebration of Pentecost was a glorious day, but the apostles could not stay locked up inside of a room. They instead received such a wondrous gift which brought them out into the world to bring forth the faith to all of its corners. This task would not always come easily as can be seen especially in the reality of the martyrs who shed their blood out of love for Christ.

Through the receiving of such a gift we are to be reminded that the Holy Spirit is our advocate and there nothing that impossible for us for the the Lord has laid down His life upon the cross, Has risen on the third day, and now the Holy Spirit has gone down upon us like a strong driving wind.

May this celebration of Pentecost be fruitful for us in stirring us out of our slumber and into the abundant harvest of the Lord. Send forth your Spirit O Lord and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Pentecost Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost. It is on Pentecost that we call to mind the apostles receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit which sent them forth to spread the message of the Gospel throughout the whole world.

From the Gospel of Saint Luke we are told, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate to be with you always, the Spirit of Truth, whom the world cannot accept, because it neither sees nor knows him.”

These words present the Holy Spirit to us as an being an advocate. This word “advocate” comes to us from the Latin word “advocatus” which means “called upon.” During the Middle Ages it was an advocatus who was the representative of the ruler to perform certain responsibilities which had been entrusted to him.

The Holy Spirit is an important advocate for us. Through the Holy Spirit the Lord remains with us until the end of time. It is the Holy Spirit who enhances our relationship with God and makes it possible to allow God to dwell within our heart.

The Holy Spirit serves as an advocate for the Holy Spirit is constantly working for our good. The Holy Spirit desires that we come know truth and to open our heart unto it. For this reason the promptings of the Holy Spirit are very important for us. They tug at us and move our heart onto God.

Through the Holy Spirit we allow all wounds to be healed, bad habits to be conquered, sins to diminish. The Holy Spirit is our advocate in the midst of all that we are called to endure in this life. Like the apostles we are not sent forth to encounter them alone, but with the fullness of the Holy Spirit.

For this reason we can and should allow the Holy Spirit to guide us in our life of faith. The question is not what we will do, but what God does for us. It was the Holy Spirit who was found at work in the apostles and they accomplished great things in the most difficult of times. Likewise, if we entrust ourself to the Holy Spirit we can accomplish great things in God’s Name even in these most difficult of times. Let us not impede this advocate, but allow Him to be found at work within us.

Come Holy Spirit fill the hearts of your faithful and kindle in them the fire of your love. Send forth your Spirit and they shall be created. And You shall renew the face of the earth.

Pentecost Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost.

From the Book of Acts we are told that the Holy Spirit came upon the apostles “like a strong driving wind.” This calls to mind the necessity for movement in our practice of faith. We cannot just sit around and be stagnant.

When a body of water does not receive movement it becomes stagnant. Over time it can take on a smell, look like sludge, and be harmful for consumption. The answer to this issue is the movement of water in order that it can remain fresh. The Holy Spirit comes upon the church as an active force that stirs us up in order that we may be authentic disciples. The Church cannot be a stagnant entity, but an active force.

The apostles were given a great task in the form of the Great Commission, “Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.” There is nothing that is stagnant about this command. We are called upon to make disciples of all nations, but the task of evangelization is something that is awkward and intimidating to many.

The apostles were gathered in prayer when they received this gift of the Holy Spirit. After receiving such a gift they remained human with all the struggles that come with it. Nevertheless, they received the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit which would send them out into the world to live the faith and to draw others towards it. Currently the world has 2.6 billion Christians, 1.3 billion of which are Catholic, while at the time of the apostles this was not the case.

In our age we should not live in a state of doom and gloom concerning what the future may hold. The faith that we profess is something which is authentic and thus it will continue to grow. From a small group of believers sprung forth a movement of faith which would grow around the world. Likewise, we must entrust ourself to this same outpouring of the Holy Spirit that the apostles received.

Through our interaction with the Holy Spirit we receive the fruits and gifts which are necessary to live out our faith. Let us, therefore, embrace the Holy Spirit and thus the gifts with open hearts and minds. Let us cultivate a deep relationship with the Spirit through prayer, the sacraments, and a life of holiness. And as we do so, let us remember that the purpose of the Holy Spirit's empowerment is not just for our personal edification, but for the salvation of souls and the transformation of the whole world.

Send forth your Spirit, O Lord, and you shall renew the face of the earth.

Pentecost Homily

Today we come to celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost which brings about the conclusion of the Easter season.

What is this celebration of Pentecost all about? The people of Israel also celebrated Pentecost. For them this day marked the 50th day since the Passover. On this day they would come to bring their fruits to the temple in Jerusalem to offer them to the priest in gratitude for all that God has done for them. At the time of Passover they came to be liberated from their slavery and entered into the desert as they wondered about for their ultimate destination of the Promised Land. Once they had entered into the Promised Land it was said that they would receive seven crops which would bear fruit.

From Deuteronomy we hear, “A land of wheat, and barley, and vines, and fig trees, and pomegranates; a land of olive oil, and honey.” The people would mark the first of each of these fruits which would spring up. When they had collected all seven they would be brought to the Temple to be given to the priest in order that they may be offered to God.

For us Pentecost marks the 50th day after the celebration of Easter. It is this solemnity which marks the gift of the Holy Spirit which descended upon the apostles as a strong driving wind sending them out into the abundant harvest of the Lord. We do not have crops like the people of Israel, but we do have the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit. 

These seven gifts are given to us in the 11th chapter of the Book of Isaiah, “The spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him: a spirit of wisdom and of understanding, A spirit of counsel and of strength, a spirit of knowledge and of fear of the Lord, and his delight shall be the fear of the Lord.” From this list it would seem that there are only six gifts, but the Latin text uses the word piety for the sixth gift instead of fear of the Lord which is only listed once in the Latin.

Again the seven gifts of the Holy Spirit are, (1) wisdom, (2) understanding, (3) counsel, (4) strength, (5) knowledge, (6) piety, and (7) fear of the Lord. 

A lot takes place in our life over the course of one year. Hopefully as we continue to nurture our faith and relationship with God we constantly find growth. The gift of the Holy Spirit is important. Not only at the day of baptism or confirmation, but always. We should realize through our encounter with the Holy Spirit we receive these seven gifts. We should be thankful for these gifts and offer them to God.

At Pentecost the apostles received these abundant gifts and from them they were sent into the world to live the faith and to evangelize. So too do we receive these same gifts. People say I need this or that in order to evangelize, but in the end all that we need is what God has already given us. Let us not impede the gifts of the Holy Spirit , but be found thankful and willing to be moved more fully by these gifts.

Pentecost Sunday Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost where we call to mind the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the apostles as well as the world. One common term which is used in reference to the Holy Spirit is the Paraclete. The Paraclete comes from a Greek word which means advocate or helper and therefore is applied in Christianity to the Holy Spirit. It is God the Holy Spirit who becomes our advocate for He pleads God’s cause for the human family, keeps the Church from falling into error, and sanctifies souls through the preaching of God’s word and the sacraments.

We too must remain open to this gift of the Holy Spirit. Hopefully, all of us have received the Sacrament of Confirmation or will soon receive it at the proper time. In the Diocese of Knoxville the norm for the reception of Confirmation is in the 5th grade. There are many who have been led to believe that Confirmation is to make an adult acceptance of the Catholic faith. That statement is not true for through baptism one is Catholic be they an infant or an adult. Instead the sacrament of confirmation infuses us with God’s grace, brings to completion what was begun in us at our baptism, and pours forth upon us the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit. As the Catechism of the Catholic Church puts it; confirmation “gives us a special strength of the Holy Spirit to spread and defend the faith by word and action as a true witness of Christ, to confess the name of Christ more boldly, and never to be ashamed of the cross.”

From the Acts of the Apostles we know the Holy Spirit to be “like a strong driving wind.” We see this played out within the life of the Church were people where sent forth to lead other souls unto God. As the Great Commission puts it: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.” Our world too is greatly in need of evangelists and thus people who take the Great Commission to heart. It was recently said that this is the first time in the history of the United States that religious people have fallen under the majority. That tells me that there is a lot for us to do even here within the south. Not only must we do this, but we must be willing to lead others into the life of the Church.

All of this is difficult if we attempt to do it alone. It was difficult for the apostles and other great missionaries, but in the end the Church grew for they trusted in Christ and were moved by the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. Let us allow the Holy Spirit to penetrate into our life in order that we too may lead others into relationship with the Lord and His Church on earth. May we allow this advocate to come upon us in order that we may always be preserved in the truth of Christ.

Pentecost Homily

It has been a long time since our last public celebration of Mass, welcome back! I am sure that many of you have been filled with great anticipation to be reunited with our Eucharistic Lord. This is a fitting day to resume our public celebration of Mass for Pentecost is known as the birth of the church. With that, through our interaction with the Holy Spirit it is my fervent hope that each of us will come to be renewed in our life of faith.

When we consider the Holy Spirit we should take note of the Acts of the Apostles where the Holy Spirit is described as being “a strong driving wind.” This is an important lesson for us to reflect upon for there is nothing stagnant to be found concerning the Holy Spirit. Thus too the Holy Spirit sends us forth into the world to be animated in our practice of faith.

We know that each of the apostles had their own difficulties in coming to understand and accept the reality of the Lord’s Passion. It was through the outpouring of the Holy Spirit that they were sent forth into the world to lead other souls towards the Lord. We too are touched by our own difficulties and fears. This present with us in our everyday life. Nevertheless, we cannot allow excuses to overcome us. We too are to be touched by this strong driving wind that is the Holy Spirit and be sent forth into the abundant harvest of the Lord as true witnesses to Christ Jesus and His Church on this earth. May we be sent forth from here filled with this true missionary zeal that sent forth the apostles to proclaim Christ Jesus throughout all the world.

Pentecost Homily

Today we celebrate the Solemnity of Pentecost which brings about the conclusion of the season of Easter. Pentecost means the “fiftieth day” for it falls on the fiftieth day since our celebration of the Resurrection. This celebration of Pentecost is also a Jewish feast for on this day they celebrate the giving of the Law to Moses on Mount Sinai.

In our account taken from the Acts of the Apostles we are instructed that “there appeared to them tongues as of fire, which parted and came to rest on each one of them.” Before we get to this handing on of the Holy Spirit we were told that “suddenly there came from the sky a noise like a strong driving wind, and it filled the entire house in which they were.”

Throughout the Old Testament the presence of God is marked by powerful forces such as this be it an earthquake, burning bush, or something else which denotes the Divine Presence. The strong driving wind is the Divine Presence of God. This strong driving wind becomes the very source of these tongues of fire which come down upon the apostles. From this exchange we can say that the apostles become one through their encounter with the Holy Spirit for what they encounter is the oneness of this strong driving wind.

If we go back to the Transfiguration of our Lord we will remember Saint Peter. Here he was caught up in this glimpse into the Heavenly reality of Christ and exclaimed: “Lord, it is good that we are here. If you wish, I will make three tents here, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.” The issue with this response is that Saint Peter wanted this encounter to continue and did not want to go back down the mountain back into the world which was in need of the Gospel message.

I bring this account up for our encounter with God especially through the handing on of the Holy Spirit stirs us up and sends us forth into the world to live and proclaim our faith. There has been a lot of talk within the Church about the new evangelization throughout the years. The new evangelization really isn’t anything new, but instead is to bring us back to what was found alive within the confines of the early church.

We as the Pilgrim Church of Earth must realize the necessity of being stirred up by the promptings of the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is never shown to us throughout the course of scripture as being a stagnant entity. Yet, so many, in their practice of faith have grown stagnant and have closed themself off from the promptings of the Holy Spirit. On this Pentecost Sunday it is my fervent hope that each of us will never impede upon the Holy Spirit, but instead will allow the Holy Spirit to animate you in your practice of faith.

In this manner we will be sent forth from here as the apostles were sent forth to proclaim the faith and to lead others in discover the truths of the Gospel. This must be a fervent community of faith which draws other souls into a encounter with the Lord, the Sacraments, and the beauty of the Gospel message. May we who receive our Blessed Lord ,in the state of grace this day, be sent forth from here under the influence of the Holy Spirit to make the New Evangelization manifest in the world in which we exist.

Pentecost Year B Homily

At the heart of Pentecost is an encounter with the Holy Spirit, but we cannot forget about the apostles who made themselves present to receiving such a gift. It is important for us to join with them in placing emphasis upon the Holy Spirt in our own life and thus being made open to receiving such a wondrous gift.

Instead we often place emphasis upon ourself and our own talents instead of acknowledging our dependance upon God. Some have even lost sight of the importance of the Sacrament of Confirmation because they believe it to be an adult acceptance of the faith. Confirmation has nothing to do with making an adult acceptance of the faith, but it does place God central in our life as do all the sacraments.

Through Confirmation God is central for He sends forth grace upon the receiver. This grace is to receive the fruits and gifts of the Holy Spirit. Thus inviting the Holy Spirit to enter into our life and to be placed at work within us. Nevertheless, we so often do not make ourself present to being receptive to such a gift. The apostles did not just walk into Pentecost and receive this gift, but rather they prepared themselves to receive such a gift. From the point of our Lord’s Ascension ten days ago they entered into prayer in order that they would be found open to such a gift.

We must take their example upon ourself for the gift of the Holy Spirit is most important, but we so often get distracted from the promptings of the Spirit. As our readings attest the Holy Spirt leads us towards an encounter with truth and unity. If we remain open to the promptings of the Holy Spirit we will be led towards an encounter with truth and will be preserved in the unity of our faith.

As the apostles entered into Pentecost through the use of prayer, so should we. Before we set down to study scripture or the faith we should invoke the Holy Spirit in order that we may be enlightened. In the Book of Acts we were instructed that the Holy Spirit came down upon the apostles as “a strong driving wind” and so we cannot act as if our faith is a sluggish action. Rather, this “strong driving wind” shows that the faith is active and alive. Therefore, we must open our heart to hearing the many promptings of the Holy Spirt and respond to such promptings. If we are entrenched in sin we must seek out the Sacrament of Confession in order that we may better be able to hear and respond to the Holy Spirit.

Let us remember that the gifts of the Holy Spirit are wisdom, knowledge, understanding, counsel, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord. According to Saint Thomas Aquinas these gifts perfect our intellect and will so that we can know God more clearly and love Him more ardently. On this Pentecost Sunday may we allow the Holy Spirit to always remain central in our life and may we always allow ourself to be found receptive to receiving such a gift.

Pentecost Homily

Today we celebrate the coming forth of the Holy Spirit and thus the Solemnity of Pentecost which brings about the conclusion of the Easter season.

From the Acts of the Apostles we are told that the Holy Spirit came forth "like a strong driving wind" and then "appeared to them as tongues as of fire."

This description of "strong driving wind" reminds us that the Holy Spirit is active. The Holy Spirit didn't just lazily appear at Pentecost, but instead was sent forth in a manner which stirs up the heart and the soul of the receiver.

It was no coincidence that the Holy Spirit would appear to them as "tongues of fire" for the apostles were not to remain docile in their practice of faith, but they were to actively bring it into the world in order that all may come to know the name of Christ.

Pentecost has been called the birthday of the Church. It it was at Pentecost that the apostles received the gift of the Holy Spirit. This gift that Christ promised would be poured out for them. It was from this gift that they came to understand and accept their active mission to become heralds of the Gospel.

The Holy Spirit is often forgotten in our life. We understand the importance of God the Father who is the creator of all things visible and invisible. We understand the importance of God the Son who took on our human flesh and died upon the cross in atonement for our sin. Nevertheless, we so often forget about the Holy Spirit who actively comes down upon us and sends us forth into the world to be active in our practice of faith.

On this Pentecost Sunday we must pray that this renewal will take place within us and within this community of faith. The Holy Spirit is in no way docile, but rather is an active force which is sent out into the world. We must not hinder the movement of the Holy Spirit within our life, but must be willing to allow the Holy Spirit to encompass us in order that we may be found active in our practice of faith.

The Holy Spirit comes down upon the Church and upon each of us in order that we may live out lives of genuine faith and charity. To follow the way of the Holy Spirit challenges us against closing in upon ourself, but rather opening wide the door of faith to all who encounter it.

May we truly allow the Holy Spirit to enter into our life and to renew the face of the earth.