Today’s questions are about holidays and holiday greetings. I’d like you to fill-in the blank. If I say “‘Blank’ Christmas,” what would be your greeting? “Merry Christmas” wins. How about “Easter?” “Happy Easter” is the usual winner for that one. And what about “Pentecost?” OK, I expected a lot of silence on that one. With maybe a few “Joyous Pentecost!”
Now some of you may say my question is unfair. Pentecost is not really a holiday. For Christmas, you buy presents and decorate pine trees. For Easter, you buy new clothes and decorate eggs. But there’s nothing to buy for Pentecost, let alone anything to decorate. Pentecost can’t really be a holiday. It hasn’t gone commercial enough. Why even Halloween and Valentine’s Day sell as much candy as either Christmas or Easter. Halloween has costumes and decorations as well, almost as many as Christmas. And people buy Valentine’s cards, too. But when did you ever see a “Hallmark moment” for Pentecost? Yes, Pentecost is our forgotten holiday. Our forgotten Holy Day, which is – after all – what was originally meant by Holiday: a “Holy” Day for remembering God. Christmas, Easter, Pentecost. Our Trinitarian Holy Days.
Christmas: the celebration of God’s gift to mankind. The celebration of God-the-Father giving God-the-Son to us, giving us the means of our salvation. The celebration of the wood of the crib and the baby it held.
Easter: the celebration of God’s second gift to mankind. The celebration of God-the-Son giving his life to God-the-Father, giving us the forgiveness for our salvation. The celebration of the wood of the cross and the man it held.
Pentecost: the celebration of God’s third gift to mankind. The celebration of God-the-Father and God-the-Son giving their love to one another and to us. Giving us our reunion with them, our salvation. The celebration of the wood of the now unlocked door and the spirit of the one who comes to us through it.
The celebration of Pentecost is, in fact, one of the most ancient of our Holy Days. It was celebrated by the Jews, themselves, as a major feast day. It was the 50th day after Passover. It commemorated the giving of the Law of Moses to the people. The Law of Moses, the Torah, the most sacred gift of Yahweh to his people. It was for this reason Jerusalem was crowded with Jews from all parts of the Mediterranean world. They had returned for the early summer harvest festival to celebrate Torah, the Word of God among them.
On our first Pentecost, the disciples gathered in the Upper Room where they had consumed the bread of the Last Supper with their Lord and Master. When suddenly they, themselves, were consumed by the rush of the wind and the fire of the Holy Spirit. Consumed by the passionate love sent forth by God-the-Father and God-the-Son. They received the gifts of the Holy Spirit, the Advocate, who would speak with them and through them. They rushed forth as if drunk on new wine to proclaim the truths bursting within them.
The crowds of gathered Jews were confused when they heard the disciples, men who had been fishermen, common men. Women, too, who had followed quietly in the footsteps of a man who had died a terrible death, women who said he had risen from the tomb. Those crowds heard the triple proclamation of the disciples:
● he is not dead.
● he has physically risen:
● he has returned to Heaven to sit at the right hand of his Father.
Yet, his presence was still part of them. The Holy Spirit is now with them.
So why is it that we, some twenty-one centuries later, fail to celebrate this fact? We actively celebrate his birth: God’s incarnation among us. We actively celebrate his suffering, death and resurrection: God’s Paschal Mystery for us. Why, then, do we not celebrate with equal joy, his on-going presence among us, the presence of the Holy Spirit of God?
We vaguely acknowledge his presence when we attend a Baptism. We may even recognize his active participation at Confirmations. A few may realize we call for his presence during the consecration of the bread and wine at each and every Eucharist.
Yes, we are told the Holy Spirit is present and active in each and every Sacrament we receive. But then what? Do we really act as if the Holy Spirit is here among us right now? Do we not know:
● In a few moments the Holy Spirit as well as the real body and blood of Christ will be within us in a very special way.
● The Holy Spirit will remain with us when we leave this sanctuary, this holy place.
● The Holy Spirit makes each one of us a sanctuary, a holy place, a holy person.
Did we not hear, a moment ago, Paul’s words to the Corinthians: “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts but the same Spirit; there are different forms of service but the same Lord; there are different workings but the same God who produces all of them in everyone.”
Yes, the Holy Spirit remains with each one of us: to comfort us, to counsel us, to protect us, to guide us, to empower us with the very life and love of God. Let us go forth as did his followers two thousand years ago. Let us go among those who have not yet heard the proclamation, or having heard it, fail to live up to its words.
Let us not depend upon commercialization in order to celebrate the Feast of Pentecost. We do not need to buy mere things and display external decorations in order to define our Holy Days, the days of being holy for our own sake and for the sake of others. We, who have been gifted with the sacraments of the Holy Spirit, have the daily opportunity to share these gifts with others.
One month from now we will be celebrating our national Holiday, Independence Day, with parades and fireworks. But today, let us light up the night sky with explosions of the fireworks of our own passionate love of God and of all his children. Let us, indeed, be a light in the darkness. Let us celebrate the work of the Holy Spirit among us. Let us be not only the body and blood of Christ but let us be animated by the love of the Holy Spirit. Yes, let us continue to wish one another a “Merry Christmas” and a “Happy Easter.” But today, let us wish one another a “Joyous Pentecost.” Alleluia! Praise God with shouts of Joy. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Pentecost; June 4, 2005
Acts 2:1-11; 1 Cor 12:3-7, 12-13; Jn 20:19-23