My friends, this weekend is a special one in that today we celebrate Pentecost, 50 days, or thereabouts since Easter, which should remind us of our own confirmations, when we received a new name, and promised our almost adult “yeses” to live our best selves in the footsteps of Jesus of Nazareth. We will come back to this later.
This long weekend also includes Memorial Day on Monday – a day to remember all those who have lived and died for our country, some giving their all for their beliefs, through military service, but also all those who have gone on before us who have been models and mentors to and for us, for a better world. I believe that Pentecost, the coming of Jesus’ Spirit and the remembrance of all those who have lived and died, bear a resemblance that it is good for us to consider today.
In the purely spiritual realm, we know from Jesus’ words in Scripture that his physical work on earth was done and that he couldn’t stay on – but that he was entrusting us with his words, his actions, basically his life of love – God’s love for all – to see that this message lived on. Quite a responsibility, and one that we shouldn’t take lightly.
In the social realm, Memorial Day, no doubt, calls up all kinds of images of those who have gone on before us, both good and not so good. When I have done Celebrations of Life over the years, I have reminded families of “allowing” their deceased loved ones to “live on” through them as they try and emulate the good they saw in a loved one. If the relationship hadn’t been a positive one, then there is the opportunity to make a difference in one’s own life going forward.
Now that we have established a connection between Pentecost and Memorial Day, let’s go deeper… All three readings today proclaim well I think what we are to “be about” as Pentecostal people, and again, I think we can see similarities as we likewise try to emulate the goodness of loved ones who have passed on.
In the 1st reading from Acts, for Pentecost, we see a wonderful truth – our God wants all people, each one of us to be “recognized and heard.” Scripture says, [Everyone heard the apostles speaking in their own tongue]. Now, to me, this speaks of a God who wants to reach, in some way, everyone.
Many times, in the past, today, and into the future, I have, and will continue to lift up for us the “fruits” of people’s actions, trying very hard not to be “political” or to take sides. Our brother Jesus was always very conscious of watching “the fruits” of people’s actions in searching for the truth.
I just finished reading Kamala Harris’ book, 107 Days about her run for president in 2024. Again, looking at “the fruits,” her book is full of her desire to first, listen to the people, and then work to make their lives better. Checking “the fruits” then, we can compare this with verbiage coming out of Washington from the commander-in-chief, that “he doesn’t care about people’s financial troubles” [!] Kamala Harris’ deep pain in losing the election was of all the things that she wouldn’t be able to do for our nation’s people.
Pauls’ letter to the Corinthians today is all about how the Spirit of that 1st Pentecost was intended for all and that all, each one of us, in receiving the Spirit at our own confirmations, is given a gift, unique to us, to share with the world in Jesus’ memory.
John’s gospel is affirmation of that – he speaks of how we will have the strength, the calm, and the peace to affirm the good and deny the bad we see in our world.
One of the symbols that we always see as part of Pentecost is “tongues of fire” – my stole today, and the banner are reflective of that – as John’s gospel speaks of “the fire of God’s love” and “this fire” always comes with peace – Jesus’ words to his frightened followers, we hear twice in today’s gospel, “Peace be with you!”
Reflecting then a bit further on the “fire of God’s love,” I think we could agree that “passion” for and about others in our world, is a quality that Jesus had in his earthly life and wants us to have as well in sending us his Spirit. Someone said, in speaking about the combination of passion and peace,” [Come with the] “power of a tornado, and the gentleness of a whisper.” Today’s Scriptures speak of “a violent, rushing wind.” In the Old Testament, God comes to Elijah in “a whisper.”
A special mentor of mine, Jim Fitzpatrick, an active priest in this diocese for 10 years, and one of my high school religion teachers, a man little more that five feet in height, had this wonderful combination of passion for word and action, and an acquired peace that came to him in following the Spirit’s lead.
Jim left active priestly ministry after he went to his bishop with the knowledge that certain of his brother priests were sexually abusing children, and the bishop’s response was to do nothing claiming that it was more important to protect the good name of the Church!
It was ultimately a joy to be taught by this passionate man who when we as students weren’t responding with some of that same passion would say, “C’mon people, catch fire!”
My friends, Pentecost is all about that, “Catching the fire” of our faith and moving with strength, peace, passion and ultimately in love, in Jesus’ footsteps in our world. Those at the first Pentecost were said to be “amazed and astonished” at what they saw – would any in our world be “amazed an astonished” at what they see in us? A good question to ponder perhaps on this Pentecost Sunday.
At Jim Fitzpatrick’s funeral a few years back, one of his colleagues, a religious sister did the homily for the service. She used one of Jim’s favorite Scripture quotes to emulate him — I learned that day that Jim lived and acted upon one of my favorite Scripture quotes too! These words come from the apostle Peter at the Transfiguration, [Rabbi] “it is good that we are here!” In conclusion then my friends, “it is [indeed] good that we are here!” And because we are, there is the possibility that our world can be better…. Amen? Amen!
All Are One Church 