[Salvation]

Arlington Catholic Herald

GOSPEL COMMENTARY JN 20:19-23

Come, Holy Spirit!

 

 

By Fr. Jerome Magat 6/8/11

The solemnity of Pentecost commemorates the event that occurred 50 days after Easter when the Holy Spirit descended upon the apostles and Mary, firmly establishing the Church and invigorating the apostles with the zeal to proclaim the Gospel to the farthest ends of the earth. Pentecost, however, is not a holy day private to Catholics. Pentecost originated as a Jewish harvest feast — it’s one of the three major feasts of the Jewish calendar. Of course, for the apostles, the harvest would not be wheat crops but the first believers of the Gospel.

What we know of the events of Pentecost is not recorded in any of the Gospels; rather, our scriptural account that narrate these events is found in the Acts of the Apostles. Hence, the Gospel passage for this Sunday depicts Easter Sunday night when Christ breathed on the apostles and promised them that he would send the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for “breathe” used in this account is found in only one other place is Scripture: in the Book of Genesis, when God breathed life into Adam. In the Gospel, Christ is breathing new life into the Church. At the time of the apostles’ encounter with Jesus in the upper room at Easter, they are portrayed as a band of scared and inept men; at Pentecost, their lives would be changed forever.

It never occurred to the apostles that the Gospel should be kept a private affair among themselves. Instead, they evangelized the known world. Their evangelical posture is a challenge to Catholics who refuse to talk about their faith — those who fear that such discourse might offend less pious ears. For others, their “private Catholicism” is a form of politeness so as not to “impose” the good news on others. This apathy and lack of courage is not a sign of the Holy Spirit that filled the apostles at Pentecost. Had the apostles not evangelized the world, would we have known names like Beethoven, Mozart, Palestrina, Michelangelo, Bramante, Fra Angelico, Louis Pasteur, Blaise Pascal, Leonardo DaVinci, Dorothy Day, Blessed Junipero Serra (the father of California), Blessed Teresa of Kolkata and Blessed Pope John Paul II? Would the Church have been the developer and the genius behind the modern system of economics (based on monastery bartering systems) or the system of modern diplomacy, or Western music (all rooted in Gregorian chant) or even the Julian or Gregorian calendars?

A true spirit of evangelization can only be accomplished through the Holy Spirit. This power cannot be overestimated. It is the same Spirit that pours forth the virtues and the gifts of the Holy Spirit into the soul of every person who is baptized. It is the same Spirit whom the priest invokes at every Mass during the eucharistic prayer. The Holy Spirit gives power to our sacraments and makes Jesus present in the Church today as He has from Her inception, two millennia past. Let us call upon the Spirit in confidence to assist our efforts to proclaim the good news!

 

Fr. Magat is parochial vicar of St. William of York Parish in Stafford.

[Salvation]

The Work of God

Year A

 -  Pentecost Sunday

Receive the Holy Spirit

John 20:19-23

19 When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you."
20 After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.
21 Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you."
22 When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit.
23 If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." (NRSV)

Inspiration of the Holy Spirit - From the Sacred Heart of Jesus

Peace be with you. Do you realize what this means? Can you understand that the peace I give is the peace of God, something that no one had before my resurrection?

Peace is with you, by this I mean the peace of reconciliation between God and men that I achieved with my suffering, my passion agony and death. I reconciled men with God; I brought mercy into the world to give everyone the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of my incarnation. Glory to God in the highest heavens; and peace on earth to men of good will.

Receive the Holy Spirit.

Do you understand what I am saying when I say “receive the Holy Spirit”?

I am not giving you anything that belongs to this world. I am not giving you anything that I could give before my resurrection; I am giving you the great love of God, which is the will of my father and mine. I am giving you my peace first, to prepare you for the gift of the Holy Spirit, the fire of love, which purifies you and then fills you with love.

And how, you may say, can you receive peace now and experience my gift of the Holy Spirit? It is all very simple.

Repent of your sins.

Imagine that you are experiencing the last judgment at this moment. Think about all the sins of your life and make a list. Go through the list with a magnifying glass. Meditate on the consequences of those sins on other people; feel sorry for them and for your soul.

Realize that it was you, who made me suffer and crucified me; so that by my death on the cross I could die for the forgiveness of your sins.

Do an examination of conscience based on the ten commandments, realize that as a human being you are a sinner, you are no exception, you have offended God.

But it is not time to hate yourself or to find excuses to prove your innocence. I have the cure for your sins. Don’t simply hide your darkness and increase it, by doing nothing to change your way of life.

I am the way. Simply follow my instructions. I am the truth therefore see your soul with my eyes, but know that I am ready to forgive you. I am the life, your sins are your death, choose me and you will live. Only if you accept your guilt and come to me with sorrow for what you have done, will you obtain mercy. You will have to humble yourself to make up for the pride of your past.

Go to a priest and confess your sins, I will be listening to you through him and will absolve you of your sins through the power that I have given to my Church. Unless you receive my forgiveness, you will struggle in life without ever knowing what peace of God really means.

Receive the Holy Spirit. Immerse your self in the fire of my love, be purified from evil and come to know me, love me and serve me.

I am Love, be united to me. Love me by keeping my commandments, and by loving one another. Receive my love, as you desire to be with me.

Receive the Holy Spirit. Receive the greatest gift that God has offered men. Receive the spirit of love, God Himself.

A good father on earth gives good things to his children when they ask him. I give you the Holy Spirit if you come to me. I give you the love of the Father and my love.

Receive the Holy Spirit.

Author: Joseph of Jesus and Mary