Pentecost Sunday

Come, Holy Spirit, come!

The Cenacle in Jerusalem

It’s fascinating: in both the First Reading and the Gospel, the gift of the Holy Spirit is immediately connected with an effect, a purpose. In the First Reading, why is the Holy Spirit given to the disciples at Pentecost? To proclaim the mighty acts of God. In the Gospel, why does Jesus give the apostles the Holy Spirit? To forgive and retain sins.

Now, there are many things we can reflect on today, about the Holy Spirit, on this feast.

But the Readings today point to two specific lessons, which need sustained attention, perhaps because they are so easily forgotten.

First lesson: the Spirit is given to the disciples so that the disciples would speak of the mighty acts of God, to proclaim that Jesus is Lord.

Do I speak? If I am a Christian, if I come to Mass, if I pray, but do not speak, do I have the love, the life of God within me?

St Paul says, woe to me if I do not preach the Gospel. St Paul says he is a debtor, because he now owes them the message of Christ. He declares his inculpability before his accusers, for he has declared to them the whole message of God. He had to proclaim it, for how would they call on him in whom they have not believed, and how would they believe in him whom they have not heard, and how would they hear without any to proclaim the word? Indeed, all Christians have received a command from the Lord to go forth and make disciples, to baptize and to teach. And a command is not optional.

If the Spirit is given to proclaim the might acts of God, but I do not proclaim them, what obstacle must I remove? Have I forgotten the great commission?

Second lesson: the Spirit is given to the apostles, so that they would forgive and retain sins.

Do I regularly receive the sacrament of reconciliation, at least once a year? Do I confess all my serious sins, which is to say, every direct breaking of the commandments?

Only God can forgive sins. And Jesus came to save us from sin. But the fact of his coming was not enough. The forgiveness of sins is not like the snap of a finger. It entails our cooperation, so much so that a sacrament is necessary.

In the lapidary words of the Catechism, individual, integral confession and absolution remain the only ordinary way for the faithful to reconcile themselves with God, unless physical or moral impossibility excuses.

But the practice of confession has nearly disappeared in these last few decades, among many of the faithful. Which is ironic, since we have spoken of the Holy Spirit more than ever these last few decades. But as is very clear from the Gospel, the Spirit is given to the apostles so that they would exercise the divine power to bind and loose, to forgive and retain guilt.

A clear reminder then. There is no forgiveness of sin without the Holy Spirit. And the Holy Spirit was given to the Church so that she would have the divine power of judging and forgiving sins.

If I have not gone to confession in some time, what is stopping me from returning? Have I forgotten the power that Jesus gave to his apostles?

On this Feast of Pentecost, two lessons given to us today, two reminders why the Holy Spirit was sent. For proclamation and forgiveness.

These are both weighty commissions. We might shrink before the task of proclaiming the Gospel, of going out and telling that Jesus is Lord. We might turn back before the demand for contrition and confession and amendment.

So that’s the point. We need the Holy Spirit. Which is why today, above all else, we are reminded of that most important, necessary prayer: Come! It might be the most important prayer you say. And if you are not saying it every day, then you need to start now. Come Holy Spirit!

O most blessed Light divine, Shine within these hearts of yours. Heal our wounds, our strength renew. On our dryness pour your dew. Wash the stains of guilt away. Bend the stubborn heart and will. Melt the frozen, warm the chill. Guide the steps that go astray. Come Holy Spirit!