[Gen. 11:1-9; Acts 2:1-21; Jn. 14:8-17, 25-27]
Peace to all of you who are in Christ. Amen.
“Do not be afraid.”
Jesus has just told the disciples that the Father was going to send the Holy Spirit, and he adds to that promise his peace and the admonition not to be afraid.
“Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not be afraid.”
Easier said than done.
Fear is an absolute perfectly acceptable human emotion.
It’s part of a built-in safety mechanism, it’s part of our human instincts that certain situations, people or other creatures, or a combination automatically set off alarm bells ringing.
“Do not be afraid.”
Jesus just told the disciples he would pray the Father to send the Holy Spirit in his name.
If someone would tell you about a spirit, a ghost, an invisible spectre which was going to come to you, you might actually feel worried, wouldn’t you, a little scared even.
If you ever happen to have a ghost in your house, you might just call for an exorcist, or maybe the ghost busters.
Of course, Jesus is talking about the Holy Spirit, the third person of the Trinity, “the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son” as we’ll be professing in the Creed later on.
So, no need to be afraid of the Holy Spirit, no need to hire the ghost busters.
The reason for not being afraid, is found in our Gospel text:
The Spirit is the way by which the Father is in the Son, and the Son is in us.
The Spirit testifies of the unity of the Trinity, Father-Son-Spirit, and the Spirit testifies also of the Trinity’s commitment to us and all of creation. The Spirit is the glue holding it all together.
It’s Jesus himself, our great High Priest, who intercedes for us, that’s why last week we celebrated the Ascension. It’s on his behalf that the Father grants the outpouring of the Spirit; Jesus guarantees us the ‘quality’ of the Spirit, if you will. The Spirit is sent in Jesus’ own name.
This means that the Spirit is not a stranger, the Spirit is not a strange entity that appears out of nowhere, without any connection to God.
No, this is the Spirit of Jesus, the Spirit of God.
And not only will the Spirit teach us all things, the Spirit will also remind us of everything Jesus has said to his disciples. In other words, the Spirit will confirm Jesus’ teachings and witness.
Do not be afraid, the Spirit is familiar to you, the Spirit is how God and Jesus make their home with you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled and accept the Spirit in your lives, accept the gifts of the Spirit.
These gifts of the Spirit we also find in the writings of the prophet Isaiah (11:1-3): wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude or strength, knowledge, piety, and fear of the Lord.
Saint Augustine of Hippo, that famous and clever Teacher of the Church from the 4-5th century, drew a connection between these gifts and the Beatitudes in Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Mt.5:3-12):
· Blessed are the poor in spirit, corresponds to the fear of the Lord as the "poor in spirit" are the humble and God-fearing;
· Blessed are those who mourn, corresponds to knowledge, because to Augustine the knowledge of God brings an increased awareness of personal sin;
· Blessed are the meek, corresponds to piety;
· Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, corresponds to fortitude;
· Blessed are the merciful, corresponds to counsel;
· Blessed are the pure in heart, corresponds to understanding;
- Blessed are the peacemakers, corresponds to wisdom.
There’s nothing to be afraid of, let the Spirit guide you, work these gifts in you.
Many Christians wonder what today, Pentecost, this feast of the Spirit, is all about; unlike Christmas or Easter it’s a holy day that’s not as tangible, as understandable.
It’s all very well to talk about rushing winds and tongues of fire, and a dove descending from heaven, but it can all feel somewhat supernatural and confusing.
But this is the same Spirit who hovered over the waters at creation;
the same Spirit “who has spoken through the prophets”;
the Spirit who was there at Jesus’ baptism;
the same who makes us cry out ‘Abba Father’;
who works faith, forgiveness and healing through the sacraments;
it’s the same Spirit who created the Church and calls all believers to her;
and so on.
The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of creation, the Spirit of Jesus, of prayer, of daily regeneration, who dwells in all of us.
If the Feast of Pentecost means anything than it’s this:
don’t worry, don’t fret, today is about the assurance that God’s promises, God’s commitments are ongoing;
don’t feel abandoned, today is about how Jesus is with us until the end of the age, even though his physical story here on earth ended -for the time being- at the Ascension;
don’t feel alone, today we confirm our trust in the fact that as the Trinity is connected, so we too are connected to God and connected to each other;
don’t feel overwhelmed, today we celebrate the Spirit bringing peace, a peace the world cannot give and a peace we offer each other, as we do during the service.
Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, put it as follows:
“Pentecost, ..., is a celebration of God with us, not in one place, time or in one individual — but in every place and time and in every individual who asks.”
“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.”
May mercy, peace, and love be yours in abundance. Amen.