Pentecost Sunday, Cycle A. Today’s readings: Acts 2:1-11; 1 Corinthians 12:3b-7, 12-13; John 20:19-23
“What if?” is a question that often plagues people for life. What if things had turned out differently in a romantic relationship, in one’s family life, or on the professional level? Parents, educators and persons in positions of responsibility can spend their twilight years tormented by fruitless regrets and doubts concerning real or perceived mistakes they made in carrying out their duties.
The fictional genre of alternate history is a fascinating one, with essays and entire books being written exploring how the present world might look like had – for instance – Catherine of Aragon borne Henry VIII a son who survived into adulthood, or had a young Adolf Hitler been killed during World War I. Such speculations, while undoubtedly interesting, are sadly futile since history cannot be changed.
Not so on the ecclesiastical level, however. For there is indeed one “what if” question that does offer us a very salutary exercise. The question I refer to is: “What if Pentecost had never happened? What if the Holy Spirit had never descended upon the disciples?” Reflecting upon this question can help us identify areas within our Church’s life where we may be pretending to carry out God’s work while actually insulating ourselves from his assistance.
In a Church so often handicapped by nostalgia, regrets and fear, let us once again open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit
Addressing the World Council of Churches in Uppsala in 1968, the Orthodox Patriarch Ignatios IV of Latakia shared this powerful meditation:
“Without the Holy Spirit, God is far away. Christ belongs to the past, and the Gospel is a dead letter; the Church is merely an organisation; authority is domination; mission is propaganda; worship is an evocation; and Christian action is a slave-morality. But in [the Holy Spirit], in an indissoluble synergy, the universe is lifted up and groans and travails to bring forth the Kingdom; the human being is struggling against ‘the flesh’; the Risen Christ is here; the Gospel is a life-giving force; the Church means communion with the Trinity; authority is a liberating service; mission is like Pentecost; the liturgy is both a commemoration and an anticipation; and human action becomes more godlike.” (For his full speech, see page 293 at https://archive.org/stream/wcca14/wcca14_djvu.txt)
His point is that the Holy Spirit is the one who helps the Church bridge the gap between past and present, between its human dimension and the Divine, between the imminent and the transcendent. Today’s readings illustrate this point vividly.
The gospel and the first reading both offer us glimpses into the life of the fledgling Church; one on the evening of the first Easter, the other 50 days later. In both, the followers of the Lord are holed up in the upper room. What emotions filled their hearts? A lingering fear of being caught and handed over to a fate like Christ’s perhaps? Nostalgic reminiscences of happier days with Jesus around the lake of Galilee? Or even a deep feeling of inadequacy when reflecting on the mission ahead? All of the above?
But in both situations, an irruption then happens. On Easter Sunday, the Risen Christ visits his disciples and, breathing upon them the Holy Spirit, grants them the gift of peace and the power to forgive sins. On Pentecost, the Holy Spirit visibly comes down upon the Church as a strong wind and tongues of flame. The upper room is thus transformed; what could have been the infant Church’s tomb becomes instead its womb, bringing forth new life. The disciples emerge energised, joyful, empowered, boldly proclaiming the wonders of the Lord to all listeners in all languages.
In a Church so often handicapped by nostalgia, regrets and fear, let us once again open ourselves up to the Holy Spirit. And then, in the wise words of J.R.R. Tolkien’s Gandalf: “To cast aside regret and fear. To do the deed at hand!”
bgatt@maltachurchtribunals.org