Fr. Vincent Munari sx
Reflection on the gospel of Pentecost Sunday (John 20, 19 - 23)
Pentecost, a Greek word, indicates the 50th day after Easter.
But according to the Gospel of John's reading today, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given on the evening of the day of the Resurrection. That day was hectic from the beginning: soldiers running away, women and disciples running to the tomb etc. The Apostles are inside the Upper Room, the door is closed because of fear. And Jesus comes; now he is different; in fact, he passes through closed doors and he is really present and visible to the people in the room; he makes himself recognisable with the usual greeting:
"Peace be with you” and he explains how to obtain this peace: acknowledging the wounds on his body, the signs of the crucifixion, that he shows to those present. The disciples are "filled with joy", happy to see Jesus alive. Incredible! So, he repeats the greeting of peace (shalom: v. 21) and continues indicating not only peace but also action: "As the Father sent me, so I am sending you". All the disciples are sent (missionaries); this is the first task that the risen Lord assigns to us, one that also shows our identity as Christians. We have to note a very short word here: "AS": in the same way! Jesus came in a poor setting; he was born among the sheep and goats (Pope Francis was probably referring also to this when he spoke of the "smell of the flock" that good pastors must have nowadays). And also, for the rest of his life, Jesus was poor, without loudspeakers or other implements to disseminate the good news. But the tool he gave us as 'sent' by him, is really the most powerful: "He breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit" (v. 22). The first breath of God (Gen 2, 7) created the human being, but destined to die; this new one gives us a new type of life, the life of God, his immortal Spirit, and makes us able to forgive sins and to reconcile our brothers and sisters to God and among themselves (v, 23) achieving the real "peace". All God's gifts (remember the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit) are continually working in us because of this jump into the new life that became real with our baptism, a passage from humanity to divinity. We Christians must be aware of this every day and live according to it.
Reflection on the gospel of Pentecost Sunday (John 20, 19 - 23)
Pentecost, a Greek word, indicates the 50th day after Easter.
But according to the Gospel of John's reading today, the gift of the Holy Spirit is given on the evening of the day of the Resurrection. That day was hectic from the beginning: soldiers running away, women and disciples running to the tomb etc. The Apostles are inside the Upper Room, the door is closed because of fear. And Jesus comes; now he is different; in fact, he passes through closed doors and he is really present and visible to the people in the room; he makes himself recognisable with the usual greeting:
"Peace be with you” and he explains how to obtain this peace: acknowledging the wounds on his body, the signs of the crucifixion, that he shows to those present. The disciples are "filled with joy", happy to see Jesus alive. Incredible! So, he repeats the greeting of peace (shalom: v. 21) and continues indicating not only peace but also action: "As the Father sent me, so I am sending you". All the disciples are sent (missionaries); this is the first task that the risen Lord assigns to us, one that also shows our identity as Christians. We have to note a very short word here: "AS": in the same way! Jesus came in a poor setting; he was born among the sheep and goats (Pope Francis was probably referring also to this when he spoke of the "smell of the flock" that good pastors must have nowadays). And also, for the rest of his life, Jesus was poor, without loudspeakers or other implements to disseminate the good news. But the tool he gave us as 'sent' by him, is really the most powerful: "He breathed on them and said: Receive the Holy Spirit" (v. 22). The first breath of God (Gen 2, 7) created the human being, but destined to die; this new one gives us a new type of life, the life of God, his immortal Spirit, and makes us able to forgive sins and to reconcile our brothers and sisters to God and among themselves (v, 23) achieving the real "peace". All God's gifts (remember the 7 gifts of the Holy Spirit) are continually working in us because of this jump into the new life that became real with our baptism, a passage from humanity to divinity. We Christians must be aware of this every day and live according to it.