Fr. Michael Carlini, sx
Pentecost Sunday
Genesis chapter 11 narrates about the tower of Babel. At that time the whole world spoke the same language. The people then came together and planned to build a tower “with its top reaching Heaven”. Let us analyze that community: They all had the same vision, the identical mission; they all agreed about a common plan, joining their efforts to build bricks and bake them. The further key factor in any team is communication. As we can see, the citizens of Babel had no problem in communication and no divisions. Moreover, they were also able to pass from planning to concrete action. Apparently, a good team. And yet, one thing was wrong with them, the most important one: the goal! The end, the purpose of their effort was not good. “Let us make a name for ourselves” (v.4), higher than the heavens! It is the same old mistake; man – a creature – wants to sit on the chair that belongs to the Creator. The story ends that the Lord had to confuse their language, because he knew that all of them would have died, falling down from a tower which was far too high for our human limitations. St Augustine would say: “You run well, but on the wrong path”.
From confusion to fusion
At Pentecost, the babel of the many languages became instead harmony under the musical direction of the Holy Spirit. That Sunday Peter and the Apostles spoke to the pilgrims of all the nations of the world gathered in Jerusalem and each one could hear the message in his/her own language. The world passed from confusion to fusion. The Spirit of Jesus created the new family of God.
In Sierra Leone, I heard many times a person telling his relatives: “Tomorrow I will travel to the capital”. To my surprise, none of the people of his household is sad on hearing the news, or tries to dissuade the traveller, though he will be far from them. Instead, they answer to him in Krio: “Sen fo wi!” [send something for us]. This happens because in the capital Freetown one can buy things that are not available elsewhere. The members of the family know that he will be back from his journey with gifts for all of them. They are able to overcome the temporary feeling of sadness because of his absence by recalling the possible joy they will taste when he returns.
After leaving this world and his disciples, at his Ascension, Christ sent to us the greatest of all gifts, his Holy Spirit. The Spirit is pushing the Church towards all the peripheries of the world, to continue the same mission of Jesus, with the prophetic style of our pope Francis, till the end of times.
Pentecost Sunday
Genesis chapter 11 narrates about the tower of Babel. At that time the whole world spoke the same language. The people then came together and planned to build a tower “with its top reaching Heaven”. Let us analyze that community: They all had the same vision, the identical mission; they all agreed about a common plan, joining their efforts to build bricks and bake them. The further key factor in any team is communication. As we can see, the citizens of Babel had no problem in communication and no divisions. Moreover, they were also able to pass from planning to concrete action. Apparently, a good team. And yet, one thing was wrong with them, the most important one: the goal! The end, the purpose of their effort was not good. “Let us make a name for ourselves” (v.4), higher than the heavens! It is the same old mistake; man – a creature – wants to sit on the chair that belongs to the Creator. The story ends that the Lord had to confuse their language, because he knew that all of them would have died, falling down from a tower which was far too high for our human limitations. St Augustine would say: “You run well, but on the wrong path”.
From confusion to fusion
At Pentecost, the babel of the many languages became instead harmony under the musical direction of the Holy Spirit. That Sunday Peter and the Apostles spoke to the pilgrims of all the nations of the world gathered in Jerusalem and each one could hear the message in his/her own language. The world passed from confusion to fusion. The Spirit of Jesus created the new family of God.
In Sierra Leone, I heard many times a person telling his relatives: “Tomorrow I will travel to the capital”. To my surprise, none of the people of his household is sad on hearing the news, or tries to dissuade the traveller, though he will be far from them. Instead, they answer to him in Krio: “Sen fo wi!” [send something for us]. This happens because in the capital Freetown one can buy things that are not available elsewhere. The members of the family know that he will be back from his journey with gifts for all of them. They are able to overcome the temporary feeling of sadness because of his absence by recalling the possible joy they will taste when he returns.
After leaving this world and his disciples, at his Ascension, Christ sent to us the greatest of all gifts, his Holy Spirit. The Spirit is pushing the Church towards all the peripheries of the world, to continue the same mission of Jesus, with the prophetic style of our pope Francis, till the end of times.